Service for account with unavailable funds or credit using a passcode

ABSTRACT

In general terms, embodiments of the present invention relate to methods and apparatuses for providing a service for account with unavailable funds or credit using a passcode for the account with unavailable funds or credit For example, in some embodiments, a method is provided that includes: (a) receiving transaction information associated with a transaction, where the transaction involves an account; (b) determining, based at least partially on the transaction information, that the account will exceed available funds or credit as a result of the transaction; (c) receiving a passcode for the account with unavailable funds or credit associated with the account; and (d) authorizing the transaction based at least partially on the receiving the passcode for the account with unavailable funds or credit.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a continuation-in-part application of, andclaims priority to, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/094564, whichwas filed Apr. 26, 2011, and is entitled “Overage Service Using OveragePasscode”, and which is incorporated by reference herein in itsentirety. The present application also claims priority to U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 12/879,866, which was filed on Sep. 10, 2010, andis entitled “Service Participation Acknowledgment System,” and which isincorporated by reference herein in its entirety. The presentapplication also claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent ApplicationNo. 61/416,652, which was filed on Nov. 23, 2010, and is entitled“Overage Communication Systems,” and which is incorporated by referenceherein in its entirety. The present application further claims priorityto U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/436,196, which was filedon Jan. 26, 2011, and is entitled “Overage Communication Systems,” andwhich is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

Financial institution customers are constantly looking for new anduseful ways to better manage their finances. This is particularly sogiven that most of today's customers have multiple financial accountsand the consequences associated with mismanaging or forgetting about anyone of them can lead to unexpected and/or unwanted outcomes. Forexample, a customer may cause his checking account to exceed availablefunds and incur a related exceeded available funds payment by engagingin a transaction that he mistakenly believes his account can cover.Accordingly, there is a need to provide methods and apparatuses thathelp financial institution customers manage their finances in ways thatavoid or reduce unexpected or unwanted outcomes.

SUMMARY OF SELECTED EMBODIMENTS OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

The following presents a simplified summary of the present disclosure inorder to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the invention.This summary is not an extensive overview of the invention. It is notintended to identify key or critical elements of the invention or todelineate the scope of the invention. The following summary merelypresents some concepts of the invention in a simplified form as aprelude to the more detailed description provided below.

In general terms, embodiments of the present invention relate to methodsand apparatuses for providing a service for account with unavailablefunds or credit using a passcode for the account with unavailable fundsor credit (e.g., personal identification number (PIN), password, numericcode, or the like.). As a specific example, in some embodiments, amethod involves: (a) a financial institution customer using a primaryPIN (e.g., “3441”) associated with the customer's checking account toengage in a transaction at a point-of-sale (POS) device (e.g., at amerchant); (b) a financial institution apparatus determining that thechecking account will exceed available funds as a result of thetransaction (e.g., the checking account does not have funds available tocover the transaction); (c) the apparatus declining the transaction thatmay cause the checking account to exceed available funds as a result ofdetermining that the checking account will exceed available funds; (d)the customer inputting a PIN (e.g., “5789”) for the checking accountwith unavailable funds into a keypad of the POS device in order toindicate that the customer consents to causing the checking account toexceed available funds and/or to completing the transaction that maycause the checking account to exceed available funds; and (e) theapparatus authorizing and/or completing the transaction based at leastpartially on the apparatus receiving the PIN for the checking accountwith unavailable funds from the customer via the POS device.

In this example, by using the PIN for the checking account withunavailable funds, the customer is empowered to decide whether he wantsexceed available funds in the checking account, complete thetransaction, incur an exceeded available funds payment for causing hischecking account to exceed available funds and/or for using the servicefor account with unavailable funds, or the like., which reduces oreliminates the possibility that the customer will unknowingly orunexpectedly engage in a transaction that may cause the checking accountto exceed available funds (and/or unknowingly or unexpectedly incur anexceeded available funds payment). In addition, because the customerinputs the PIN for the checking account with unavailable funds duringthe transaction (e.g., after the transaction is initiated but before thetransaction is authorized and/or completed), the customer is able tomake this decision in real-time and/or on a per-transaction basis.Further, in this example embodiment, the customer may input his PIN forthe checking account with unavailable funds into the POS devicediscreetly, thereby avoiding any potential embarrassment associated withcausing the checking account to exceed available funds and/or using theservice for account with unavailable funds.

In more general terms, some embodiments of the present invention providea method that includes: (a) receiving transaction information associatedwith a transaction, where the transaction involves an account; (b)determining, based at least partially on the transaction information,that the account will exceed available funds or credit as a result ofthe transaction; (c) receiving a passcode for the account withunavailable funds or credit ; and (d) authorizing the transaction basedat least partially on the receiving the passcode for the account withunavailable funds or credit .

Other embodiments of the present invention provide an apparatus thatincludes: (a) a communication interface configured to: (i) receive, viaa payment network, transaction information associated with atransaction, where the transaction involves an account; and (ii) receivea passcode for the account with unavailable funds or credit ; and (b) aprocessor operatively connected to the communication interface andconfigured to: (i) determine, based at least partially on thetransaction information, that the account will exceed available funds orcredit as a result of the transaction; and (ii) authorize thetransaction based at least partially on the communication interfacereceiving the passcode for the account with unavailable funds or credit.

Still other embodiments provide a computer program product having anon-transitory computer-readable medium, where the non-transitorycomputer-readable medium includes one or more computer-executableprogram code portions that, when executed by a computer, cause thecomputer to: (a) receive transaction information associated with atransaction, where the transaction involves an account; (b) determinethat the account will exceed available funds or credit as a result ofthe transaction; (c) receive a passcode for the account with unavailablefunds or credit after the computer determines that account will exceedavailable funds or credit; and (d) authorize the transaction based atleast partially on the computer receiving the passcode for creditaccount with unavailable funds.

Other embodiments of the present invention provide a method thatincludes: (a) receiving an authorization request associated with atransaction, where the transaction involves an account, and where theaccount is associated with a primary passcode; (b) determining that theaccount has exceeded available funds or credit to cover the transaction;(c) determining that the authorization request includes the primarypasscode; (d) declining the authorization request based at leastpartially on the determining that the authorization request includes theprimary passcode and the determining that the account has exceededavailable funds or credit; (e) receiving a second authorization requestassociated with a second transaction, where the second transactioninvolves the account; (f) determining that the second authorizationrequest includes a passcode for the account with unavailable funds orcredit ; and (g) approving the second authorization request based atleast partially on the determining that the second authorization requestincludes the passcode for the account with unavailable funds or credit .

Still other embodiments of the present invention provide a method thatincludes: (a) presenting, by a holder of an account, account informationat a transaction machine to engage in a transaction, where the accountinformation is associated with the account; (b) receiving, by theholder, a message that prompts the holder to provide a passcode for theaccount with unavailable funds or credit, where the receiving occurswhile the holder is still at the transaction machine; and (c) inputting,by the holder, the passcode for the account with unavailable funds orcredit into the transaction machine or into a mobile device accessibleto a holder, where the inputting occurs while the holder is still at thetransaction machine, and where the transaction is approved after theholder inputs the passcode for the account with unavailable funds orcredit .

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Having thus described some embodiments of the present invention ingeneral terms, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings,where:

FIG. 1 is a flow diagram illustrating a general process flow forproviding a service for account with unavailable funds or credit in theaccount using a passcode for the account with unavailable funds orcredit, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a flow diagram illustrating a more-detailed process flow forproviding a service for account with unavailable funds or credit in theaccount using a PIN for the account with unavailable funds, inaccordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating technical components of a systemfor providing a service for account with unavailable funds or credit inthe account, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3A is a block diagram illustrating technical components of a mobiledevice configured to participate in a service for account withunavailable funds or credit, in accordance with an embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 4 is a mixed block and flow diagram of a system for providing aservice for checking account with unavailable funds using a PIN for thechecking account with unavailable funds and a mobile phone, inaccordance with an embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 5 is a mixed block and flow diagram of a system for providing aservice for account exceeding credit threshold using a password for theaccount credit threshold and a mobile phone having a near fieldcommunication (NFC) interface, in accordance with an embodiment of thepresent invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

Referring now to FIG. 1, a general process flow 100 for providing aservice for account with unavailable funds or credit using a passcodefor the account with unavailable funds or credit is provided, inaccordance with an embodiment of the present invention. In someembodiments, the process flow 100 is performed by an apparatus (i.e.,one or more apparatuses) having hardware and/or software configured toperform one or more portions of the process flow 100. In suchembodiments, as represented by block 110, the apparatus is configured toreceive transaction information associated with a transaction, where thetransaction involves an account (e.g., a deposit account, a creditaccount, or the like.), a transaction machine (e.g., a POS device, anautomated teller machine (ATM), or the like.), and a holder of theaccount (and/or the user of the transaction machine), and where theaccount is associated with a primary passcode (e.g., “1248,”“panthers”). As represented by block 120, the apparatus is alsoconfigured to determine, based at least partially on the transactioninformation, that the account will exceed available funds or credit(e.g., cause an account to exceed available funds, exceed a creditthreshold, or the like.) as a result of the transaction. In addition, asrepresented by block 130, the apparatus is further configured to receivea passcode for the account with unavailable funds or credit (e.g.,“4518,” “exceededamount123,” or the like.). As represented by block 140,the apparatus is further configured to authorize the transaction basedat least partially on the apparatus receiving the passcode for theaccount with unavailable funds or credit

For simplicity, it will be understood that the portion of the processflow represented by block 120 is sometimes referred to herein as the“surpassed balance determination.” Also, the phrase “surpassed balancetransaction” is sometimes used to refer to a transaction that, ifcompleted, would cause the account to exceed available funds or credit(e.g., cause a deposit account to exceed available funds, exceed acredit threshold, or the like.). In addition, it will be understoodthat, in some embodiments, the term “determine” is meant to have one ormore of its ordinary meanings (i.e., its ordinary dictionarydefinition(s)), but that in other embodiments, that term is meant tohave one or more ordinary meanings of one or more of the followingterms: decide, conclude, verify, ascertain, find, discover, learn,calculate, observe, read, and/or the like. Further, in some embodiments,the phrase “based at least partially on” is meant to have one or more ofits ordinary meanings, but that in other embodiments, that phrase ismeant to have one or more ordinary meanings of one or more of thefollowing terms and/or phrases: as a result of, because of, after, if,when, in response to, and/or the like. Still further, in someembodiments, the term “via” is meant to have its one or more ordinarymeanings, but in other embodiments, that term is meant to have one ormore ordinary meanings of one or more of the following terms and/orphrases: from, through, per, with the assistance of, by way of, and/orthe like.

It will also be understood that the apparatus having the process flow100 can include one or more separate and/or different apparatuses. Forexample, in some embodiments, one apparatus (e.g., the transactionmachine 320 described in connection with FIG. 3, or the like.) isconfigured to perform the portion of the process flow 100 represented byblock 110, and a second apparatus (e.g., the authorization apparatus330) is configured to perform the portions represented by blocks120-140. As still another example, in some embodiments, a singleapparatus (e.g., the authorization apparatus 330) is configured toperform each and every portion of the process flow 100. It will also beunderstood that, in some embodiments, a transaction machine (e.g., thetransaction machine 320) is configured to perform one or more (or all)of the portions of the process flow 100, and that in some embodiments,that transaction machine includes, is included in, and/or is embodied asthe transaction machine referred to in block 110.

Regarding block 110, the term “passcode,” as used herein, generallyrefers to a personal identification number (PIN), code, string, keyword,number, phrase, password, username, personal identifier, and/or the likethat the holder uses to access banking services and/or to engage intransactions. Indeed, in some embodiments, the passcode is required toaccess those banking services and/or to engage in those transactions.For example, in some embodiments, the passcode must be input into thetransaction machine referred to in the process flow 100 before thetransaction machine will perform the transaction. Also, it will beunderstood that the passcode may be of any length and include any typeof character. For example, in some embodiments, the passcode is a fouror six digit PIN (e.g., “3451,” “8911,” “566912,” or the like.) that theholder must input into an ATM to withdraw funds and/or into a POS deviceto complete a purchase transaction. Of course, it will be understoodthat, in other embodiments, the passcode is a different length and/orincludes one or more letters and/or symbols in addition to, or insteadof, numbers.

Also, it will be understood that, in some embodiments, the passcode issecret and/or confidential, such that, for example, the passcode isknown only to the holder and the holder's financial institution.Additionally or alternatively, in some embodiments, the financialinstitution that maintains the account associates the passcode with theholder, the account, and/or the debit and/or credit card associated withthe account. Of course, because a financial institution may maintainmillions of accounts, a particular passcode associated with one accountmay actually be the same passcode associated with another account. Insuch cases, the identity of the passcode cannot be used by itself toactually identify a holder of an account. However, in some embodimentsof the present invention, the passcode is uniquely associated with theholder, the account, and/or a debit and/or card associated with theaccount, such that, for example, the holder, the account, and/or thecard may be identified simply by knowing the identity of the passcode(and/or vice versa). Additionally or alternatively, in some embodiments,where the passcode is secret and/or confidential, the passcode may beused to authenticate the holder (e.g., verify that the holder is who hesays he is) to the apparatus having the process flow 100, to thefinancial institution that maintains the account, and/or to a merchantand/or counterparty involved in the transaction.

It will be understood that a passcode may be different than a cardverification value (CVV). As understood herein, a CVV is typically athree or four digit number that is printed on a debit and/or creditcard, and that may be used, for example, during web or phonetransactions, to verify that the card holder actually possesses thedebit and/or credit card at the time of the transaction. In contrast, apasscode is not typically printed on a debit and/or credit cardassociated with the account. Further, because the CVV is typicallyprinted on a card, anyone with access to that card may view the CVV.Thus, in embodiments where the passcode is known only to the holder ofthe account and to the financial institution that maintains the account,the identity of the passcode is typically a secret more closely guardedthan the identity of the CVV.

Additionally, it will be understood that there are two kinds ofpasscodes referred to herein, a primary passcode and a passcode for theaccount with unavailable funds or credit. It will be understood that theprimary passcode refers to a passcode typically used to engage inregular, day-to-day transactions and typically associated with theholder, the account, and/or the debit and/or credit card involved inthose transactions. The passcode for the account with unavailable fundsor credit also refers to a passcode that is associated with the holder,account, and/or debit and/or credit card involved in a transaction, butthe passcode for the account with unavailable funds or credit istypically used to engage in a surpassed balance transaction as opposedto a regular transaction. In some embodiments, the holder uses thepasscode for the account with unavailable funds or credit to “consent toexceeding available funds or credit,” which is a phrase meant to beunderstood in its broadest sense. For example, in some embodiments, thephrase “consent to exceeding available funds or credit” means consentto: (a) exceeding available funds or credit (e.g., the account and/orthe holder incurring the amount that exceeds the available funds, or thelike.); (b) incurring an exceeded available funds or credit paymentassociated with the amount that exceeds available funds or credit (e.g.,now or at the end of the day in which the transaction occurred if theaccount settles negative, or the like.); (c) one or more terms of aservice for account with unavailable funds or credit; (d) using theservice for account with unavailable funds or credit for thistransaction (i.e., the transaction referred to in block 110); (e)incurring an exceeded available funds or credit payment associated withusing the service for account with unavailable funds or credit; and/or(f) completing the transaction. Thus, for example, the holder mayprovide the passcode for the account with unavailable funds or credit tothe apparatus having the process flow 100 to indicate that the holderconsents to: (a) incurring an amount that exceeds the available funds orcredit; (b) incurring an exceeded available funds or credit paymentassociated with the amount that exceeds the available funds; and (c)completing the transaction. Further, it will be understood that anygiven holder, account, and/or debit and/or credit card may be associatedwith a primary passcode and a passcode for the account with unavailablefunds or credit. Also, it will be understood that the primary passcodeis typically different than the associated passcode for the account withunavailable funds or credit. For example, in some embodiments, theprimary passcode for the account is the four digit PIN “0786,” whereasthe passcode for the account with unavailable funds or credit is thefour digit PIN “1386.” Further, as understood herein, the passcode forthe account with unavailable funds or credit is sometimes referred to asa “surpassed credit threshold passcode” when associated with a creditaccount and referred to as “surpassed available funds passcode” whenassociated with a deposit account.

Also, in some embodiments, the primary passcode and/or the passcode forthe account with unavailable funds or credit referred to in the processflow 100 may be selected by the holder of the account before thetransaction referred to in the process flow 100 is initiated (e.g., whenthe holder enrolls in a service for account with unavailable funds orcredit). However, in other embodiments, the passcode for the accountwith unavailable funds or credit is provided to the holder for the firsttime during the transaction referred to in the process flow 100 (e.g.,via a message sent to the transaction machine or the holder's mobiledevice), such that the holder does not know the identity of the passcodefor the account with unavailable funds or credit before the transactionis initiated. In some of these embodiments, the passcode for the accountwith unavailable funds or credit is dynamically generated, generated inreal-time during the transaction, and/or automatically generated afterthe apparatus makes the amount that exceeds the available fundsdetermination but before the apparatus authorizes the transaction. Thisconcept of generating and/or providing the passcode for the account withunavailable funds or credit during the transaction is discussed in moredetail later herein.

Still regarding block 110, the phrase “transaction machine,” as usedherein, typically refers to an interactive computer terminal that isconfigured to initiate, perform, complete, and/or facilitate one or morefinancial transactions. Examples of transaction machines include, butare not limited to, ATMs, POS devices (e.g., merchant terminals, or thelike.), self-service machines (e.g., vending machine, self-checkoutmachine, parking meter, or the like.), public and/or business kiosks(e.g., an Internet kiosk, ticketing kiosk, bill pay kiosk, or thelike.), mobile phones (e.g., feature phone, smart phone, or the like.),gaming devices, computers (e.g., personal computers, tablet computers,laptop computers, or the like.), personal digital assistants (PDAs),and/or the like.

In some embodiments, the transaction machine referred to in block 110 islocated in a public place and is available for public use (e.g., on astreet corner, on the exterior wall of a banking center, at a publicrest stop, or the like.). In other embodiments, the transaction machineis additionally or alternatively located in a place of business andavailable for public and/or business customer use (e.g., in a retailstore, post office, banking center, grocery store, or the like.). Inaccordance with some embodiments, the transaction machine is not ownedby the user of the transaction machine and/or the holder of the accountreferred to in block 110. However, in other embodiments, the transactionmachine is located in a private place, is available for private use,and/or is owned by the user of the transaction machine and/or the holderreferred to in block 110.

Further regarding block 110, the transaction involving the holder andthe transaction machine can include any number and/or type oftransaction(s) involving a transaction machine. For example, in someembodiments, the transaction includes one or more of the following:purchasing, renting, selling, and/or leasing goods and/or services(e.g., groceries, stamps, tickets, DVDs, vending machine items, or thelike.); withdrawing cash; making payments to creditors (e.g., payingmonthly bills; paying federal, state, and/or local taxes and/or bills;or the like.); sending remittances; transferring balances from oneaccount to another account; loading money onto stored value cards;donating to charities; and/or the like.

Also, the account referred to in the process flow 100 can include anynumber and/or type of account(s). For example, in some embodiments, theaccount includes a checking account, savings account, money marketaccount, investment account, brokerage account, certificate of depositaccount, and/or any other type of deposit account. In some embodiments,the deposit account is one or more accounts that can exceed availablefunds. Of course, it will be understood that embodiments of the presentinvention may also apply to one or more credit accounts, such as acredit card account, line of credit (LOC) account, store credit account,and/or the like. Additionally or alternatively, in some embodiments, thecredit account is one or more accounts that can exceed creditthreshold.”

In some embodiments, the account, the transaction machine, and theapparatus having the process flow 100 are each controlled, serviced,owned, managed, operated, and/or maintained (collectively referred toherein as “maintained” for simplicity) by a single financialinstitution. For example, in some embodiments, the apparatus ismaintained by a bank, the account is maintained by the bank, thetransaction machine is owned by the bank, and the holder is a customerof the bank. Of course, it will be understood that, in some embodiments,the apparatus, the transaction machine, and/or the account are notmaintained by the same financial institution (or any financialinstitution).

The transaction information referred to in block 110 can be anyinformation that identifies, defines, describes, and/or is otherwiseassociated with the transaction. Exemplary transaction informationincludes, but is not limited to, the party(ies) involved in thetransaction, the date and/or time of the transaction, the posting dateof the transaction, the account(s) involved in the transaction, theprimary passcode for the account, the passcode for the account withunavailable funds or credit, the transaction amount(s) associated withthe transaction, the good(s) and/or service(s) involved in thetransaction (e.g., product names, stock keeping unit (SKU) information,universal product code (UPC) information, or the like.), a descriptionof the transaction (which, itself, can include any transactioninformation, e.g., the description may describe the transaction status,the goods and/or services involved in the transaction, or the like.),and/or the like.

The transaction information can also include any information thatdefines and/or identifies the type of the transaction. As understoodherein, the transaction type of a transaction may be defined, at leastin part, by the one or more goods and/or services involved in thetransaction, the one or more types of accounts involved in thetransaction (e.g., credit card transaction, savings account transaction,or the like.), the one or more parties involved in the transaction(e.g., account holder, bank, teller, merchant, counterparty, or thelike.), when the transaction was initiated (e.g., time of day, day ofweek, or the like.), and/or the like. In some embodiments, thetransaction type is defined, at least in part, by the one or morechannels through which the transaction is conducted, such as, forexample, a POS device (e.g., merchant terminal, or the like.), ATM,teller terminal, electronic banking account (e.g., online bankingaccount, mobile banking account, SMS banking account, or the like.),personal computer, kiosk, call center, and/or the like. Additionally oralternatively, in some embodiments, the transaction type is defined, atleast in part, by the one or more instruments and/or methods used toconduct the transaction, such as, for example, paper checks, electronicchecks, debit cards, credit cards, ATM cards, checkcards, wiretransfers, online bill pay, automated clearing house (ACH), contactlesspayments, near field communication (NFC) interface payments, cashpayments, and/or the like.

In some embodiments, the transaction information additionally oralternatively identifies and/or describes one or more merchant categorycodes (MCCs) associated with the transaction. As used herein, the phrase“merchant category code” generally refers to a number assigned to amerchant by a financial institution, where the number is used toclassify the merchant by the type of goods and/or services the merchantprovides. In some embodiments, the merchant category code is a fourdigit number assigned by a credit card provider (which, in someembodiments, is a bank). Exemplary merchant category codes include“5814” for fast food restaurants, “5933” for pawn shops, “8062” forhospitals, and “5411” for grocery supermarkets. A merchant category codemay generally refer to the goods and/or services provided by a merchant(e.g., hospital, fast food restaurant, or the like.) and/or mayspecifically identify the name of an individual merchant. In otherwords, individual industries and/or individual merchants can have theirown merchant category codes. In some embodiments, a transaction type maybe defined, at least in part, by one or more merchant category codesassociated with the transaction.

It will be understood that any given transaction may have more than onetransaction type. For example, in accordance with some embodiments, acash withdrawal transaction conducted an ATM may be defined as acash-related transaction, a withdrawal transaction, and/or an ATMtransaction. As another example, in accordance with some embodiments, apurchase transaction involving a POS device and a mobile device, whereeach of the POS device and the mobile device has an NFC interface, maybe defined as a purchase transaction, a POS device transaction, mobiledevice transaction, an NFC interface transaction, and/or a contactlesspayment transaction. As still another example, in accordance with someembodiments, a purchase transaction involving a POS device maintained bya grocery store may be defined as a purchase transaction, a POS devicetransaction, a grocery store transaction, and/or a merchant categorycode “5411” transaction.

Also regarding block 110, the apparatus having the process flow 100 canbe configured to receive the transaction information in any way. Forexample, in some embodiments, the apparatus is configured to receive anauthorization request associated with the transaction, where theauthorization request includes the transaction information. In someembodiments, the apparatus is embodied as an authorization apparatusmaintained by a financial institution, where the apparatus is configuredto consider, approve, and/or decline authorization requests for debittransactions, credit transactions, ATM transactions, POS devicetransactions, and/or one or more other types of transactions thatinvolve one or more accounts maintained by the financial institution.

In some embodiments, the apparatus having the process flow 100 isconfigured to receive the transaction information based at leastpartially on the holder presenting account information (e.g., accountnumber, debit card number, credit card number, credentials, passcode(e.g., primary passcode, passcode for the account with unavailable fundsor credit), expiration date of debit card or credit card, name(s) ofholder(s) of the account, or the like.) at the transaction machine. Forexample, in some embodiments, the holder presents account information atthe transaction machine by swiping a debit card or credit card throughthe POS device. As another example, in some embodiments, the holderpresents account information at the transaction machine by inputtingaccount information into the transaction machine via a user interfaceassociated with the transaction machine. As still another example, insome embodiments, the holder presents account information at thetransaction machine by “tapping” an NFC-enabled mobile device at anNFC-enabled transaction machine (e.g., holding the NFC interface of themobile device within approximately four inches of the NFC interface ofthe transaction machine, or the like.) in order to communicate theaccount information from the mobile device to the transaction machine.

Additionally or alternatively, the apparatus can be configured toreceive the transaction information directly or indirectly from thesource of the transaction. For example, in some embodiments, theapparatus is located remotely from the transaction machine but isoperatively connected to the transaction machine via a network. Asanother example, the apparatus may include, be included in, and/or beembodied as a transaction machine. For example, in some embodiments, theapparatus having the process flow 100 includes the transaction machinereferred to in block 110. As another example, in some embodiments, theapparatus having the process flow 100 is embodied as the mobile devicereferred to in block 130. As still another example, in some embodiments,the apparatus having the process flow 100 is embodied as a transactionmachine separate from, and/or different than, the transaction machineand/or mobile device mentioned in the process flow 100.

Regarding block 120, the term “amount that exceeds available funds orcredit,” as used herein, generally refers to the difference between: (a)the total amount of one or more purchases, draws, payments, costs,balance transfers, financial obligations, and/or other responsibilitiesincurred, or that will be incurred, by an account as a result of atransaction, and (b) the amount of funds and/or credit available to theaccount immediately prior to the transaction. In some embodiments, theamount that exceeds the unavailable funds or credit is referred to as“surpassed available funds” if the account that exceeds available funds,or will exceed available funds, is a deposit account. For example, if achecking account has an available balance of $25 immediately before thechecking account is used to pay a $50 electric bill, then the checkingaccount will exceed available funds by $25 as a result of paying thebill. In some embodiments, the term “surpassed available funds” refersto the amount by which the balance of an account is negative. Forexample, if a deposit account has an available balance of −$65, then thedeposit account has one or more unavailable funds exceeded totaling $65.Additionally or alternatively, in some embodiments, the term “surpassedavailable funds” refers to a situation where a deposit account is foundto have unavailable funds to cover a transaction.

In some embodiments, the amount that exceeds the available funds orcredit is referred to as “surpassed credit threshold” and/or “asurpassed credit threshold amount” if the account that exceeds theavailable funds or credit or will exceed available funds or credit is acredit account. For example, if a credit account has $500 in availablecredit immediately prior to the credit account being used to make a $600purchase, then it will be understood that the credit account will exceedits credit threshold by $100 as a result of the purchase. Additionallyor alternatively, in some embodiments, the phrase “amount that exceedsavailable credit” generally refers to the difference between an accountbalance for the credit account and a credit threshold (sometimesreferred to as “credit line”) associated with the credit account. Forexample, if a credit account has a $5,000 credit threshold and a $5,300account balance, then it will be understood that the credit account hasexceeded one or more credit threshold amounts totaling $300.

Further regarding block 120, the apparatus configured to perform theprocess flow 100 can be configured to make the amount that exceedsavailable funds determination after the transaction has been initiatedand/or before the transaction is authorized and/or completed (e.g.,while the transaction is pending). In addition, the apparatus can beconfigured to make the surpassed balance determination in any way. Forexample, in some embodiments, the apparatus is configured to make thesurpassed balance determination by determining that the account does nothave adequate funds available and/or credit to cover the transaction. Insome embodiments, the apparatus having the process flow 100 includesand/or is embodied as a financial transaction processing apparatus thatis configured to process financial transactions involving the accountand/or the transaction machine referred to in block 110. In some ofthese embodiments, the apparatus is configured to make surpassed balancedeterminations for the account at the same time as, and/or nearly thesame time as, the apparatus is processing transactions involving theaccount.

Additionally or alternatively, in some embodiments, the apparatusincludes and/or is embodied as an authorization apparatus (e.g., theauthorization apparatus 330 referred to in FIG. 3) that is configured toconsider, authorize, and/or decline authorization requests and/orfinancial transactions. The apparatus configured to perform the processflow 100 can be configured to make surpassed balance determinations inreal time and/or in substantially real time. In some embodiments, theapparatus is configured to determine the amount that exceeds theavailable funds immediately or nearly immediately after the surpassedbalance transaction has been initiated at the transaction machine (e.g.,upon the swipe of a debit or credit card through a POS device, upon theholder selecting an amount to withdraw from an ATM, or the like.).However, the apparatus having the process flow 100 can be configured tomake the surpassed balance determination at any time from when theholder approaches the transaction machine to when the holder leaves thetransaction machine. Additionally or alternatively, the apparatus can beconfigured to make the surpassed balance determination at any time fromwhen the holder initiates and/or engages in the transaction at thetransaction machine to when the transaction is completed.

Regarding block 130, in some embodiments, the transaction informationreferred to in block 110 includes the passcode for the account withunavailable funds or credit, such that the apparatus having the processflow 100 receives the passcode for the account with unavailable funds orcredit by receiving the transaction information. For example, in someembodiments, the holder inputs the passcode for the account withunavailable funds or credit into the transaction machine at and/or nearthe beginning of the transaction, such that the apparatus receives thepasscode for the account with unavailable funds or credit in thetransaction information and/or before the apparatus makes the surpassedbalance determination. In such embodiments, the holder does this so thatthe transaction will not be declined for unavailable funds and/or sothat the holder will not need to input the passcode for the account withunavailable funds or credit later (e.g., after the transaction has beendeclined). However, in other embodiments, the transaction informationincludes the primary passcode, and the apparatus receives the passcodefor the account with unavailable funds or credit after receiving thetransaction information (and therefore after receiving the primarypasscode). For example, in some embodiments, (a) the holder inputs theprimary passcode into the transaction machine at and/or near thebeginning of the transaction, such that the apparatus receives theprimary passcode in the transaction information and/or before theapparatus makes the surpassed balance determination, (b) the apparatusdeclines the transaction as a result of making the surpassed balancedetermination and/or receiving the primary passcode in the transactioninformation, (c) the holder inputs the passcode for the account withunavailable funds or credit into the transaction machine after thetransaction has been declined, and (d) the apparatus authorizes thetransaction as a result of receiving the passcode for the account withunavailable funds or credit.

In some alternative embodiments (e.g., the embodiment described inconnection with FIG. 2), the apparatus having the process flow 100 isconfigured to prompt the holder (e.g., via the transaction machine, viaa mobile device accessible to the holder during the transaction, or thelike.) to provide the passcode for the account with unavailable funds orcredit to the apparatus having the process flow 100, where the promptingoccurs after the apparatus determines that the account will exceedavailable funds or credit. In some of these embodiments, the apparatusreceives the passcode for the account with unavailable funds or creditbased at least partially on (e.g., after, in response to, or the like.)the apparatus prompting the holder. Further, in some embodiments, theapparatus is configured to prompt the holder within about twenty secondsof making the surpassed balance determination.

Further, in some alternative embodiments, the apparatus having theprocess flow 100 is configured to decline the transaction after makingthe surpassed balance determination. In some of these embodiments, theapparatus declining the transaction prompts the holder to provide thepasscode for the account with unavailable funds or credit to theapparatus, such that the apparatus receives the passcode for the accountwith unavailable funds or credit after making the surpassed balancedetermination and/or after declining the transaction.

In some embodiments, the apparatus having the process flow 100 receivesthe passcode for the account with unavailable funds or credit based atleast partially on the holder inputting the passcode for the accountwith unavailable funds or credit into the transaction machine referredto in block 110. Additionally or alternatively, in other embodiments,the apparatus receives the passcode for the account with unavailablefunds or credit based at least partially on the holder inputting thepasscode for the account with unavailable funds or credit into a mobiledevice accessible to the holder. In some of these embodiments, theholder carries, owns, controls, wears, and/or possesses the mobiledevice during the transaction (e.g., at some time after the transactionhas been initiated but before the transaction is authorized and/orcompleted). It will be understood that, in some embodiments, byproviding the passcode for the account with unavailable funds or creditto the apparatus having the process flow 100, the holder consents to theexceeding available funds or credit (e.g., consents to the amount thatexceeds available funds, incurring an exceeded available funds orcredit, one or more terms of a service for account with unavailablefunds or credit, completing the transaction, or the like.).

Regarding block 140, the apparatus is further configured to authorizethe transaction based at least partially on the apparatus receiving thepasscode for the account with unavailable funds or credit. It will beunderstood that the apparatus can be configured to authorize thetransaction in any way. For example, in some embodiments, the apparatusis configured to authorize the transaction by sending, to thetransaction machine, one or more instructions to complete (and/or forcompleting) the transaction. In some embodiments, the apparatus isconfigured to authorize the transaction by approving an authorizationrequest associated with the transaction. In some embodiments, theauthorization request approved by the apparatus having the process flow100 was included in the transaction information referred to in block110. In some embodiments where the transaction machine referred to inblock 110 is the apparatus having the process flow 100, the transactionmachine authorizes and/or completes the transaction in response toreceiving the holder's consent. In such embodiments, the transactionmachine completes the transaction by performing one or more meaningfulactions relevant to the transaction, such as, for example, dispensingcash, accepting a purchase transaction, accepting a check deposit,printing a receipt and/or statement, loading a prepaid storage card,transferring funds, and/or the like. In some embodiments, these one ormore actions constitute the exchange central to the transaction, definethe transaction, are desired by the holder to be performed, and/or werethe reason the holder arrived at the transaction machine in the firstplace. Also, in some embodiments, the apparatus having the process flow100 is configured to authorize the transaction by providing funds and/orcredit available to complete the transaction (e.g., to the account, to amerchant involved in the transaction, or the like.).

Further, in some embodiments, the apparatus having the process flow 100is configured to store the passcode for the account with unavailablefunds or credit a memory device (e.g., in an account profile associatedwith the account) before the transaction referred to in the process flow100 is initiated. In such embodiments, the apparatus is also configuredto, after receiving the passcode for the account with unavailable fundsor credit, determine the passcode for the account with unavailable fundsor credit received matches the passcode for the account with unavailablefunds or credit stored in the memory device. In some of theseembodiments, the apparatus is configured to authorize the transactionbased at least partially on the apparatus determining that the passcodefor the account with unavailable funds or credit received matches thepasscode for the account with unavailable funds or credit stored in thememory device.

In accordance with some embodiments, the apparatus configured to performthe process flow 100 is configured to perform the portions of theprocess flow 100 represented by blocks 110-140 at some point after theholder approaches the transaction machine for the transaction and beforethe holder leaves the transaction machine. In some embodiments, thismeans that the apparatus is configured to perform the one or moreportions of the process flow 100 (e.g., make the surpassed balancedetermination, receive the passcode for the account with unavailablefunds or credit, authorize the transaction, or the like.) during thetransaction involving the transaction machine and the holder and/orwhile the holder is still at the transaction machine.

The apparatus configured to perform the process flow 100 can beconfigured to perform any of the portions of the process flow 100represented by blocks 110-140 upon or after one or more triggeringevents (which, in some embodiments, is one or more of the other portionsof the process flow 100). As used herein, a “triggering event” refers toan event that automatically (i.e., without human intervention) triggersthe execution, performance, and/or implementation of a triggered action,either immediately, nearly immediately, or sometime after (e.g., withinminutes, or the like.) the occurrence of the triggering event. Forexample, in some embodiments, the apparatus configured to perform theprocess flow 100 is configured such that the apparatus receiving thetransaction information (the triggering event) automatically andimmediately or nearly immediately (e.g., within 3-30 seconds, or thelike.) triggers the apparatus to make the surpassed balancedetermination (the triggered action). In some embodiments, the apparatusis additionally or alternatively configured to authorize and/or completethe transaction (triggered action) automatically and immediately ornearly immediately after receiving the passcode for the account withunavailable funds or credit (triggering event).

In accordance with some embodiments, the apparatus configured to performthe process flow 100 is configured to automatically perform one or moreof the portions of the process flow 100 represented by blocks 110-140,whereas in other embodiments, one or more of the portions of the processflow 100 represented by blocks 110-140 require and/or involve humanintervention (e.g., a user operating the apparatus configured to performthe process flow 100, or the like.). In addition, it will be understoodthat, in some embodiments, the apparatus configured to perform theprocess flow 100 (and/or a user thereof) is configured to perform one ormore portions (or combinations of portions) of the process flow 100,from start to finish, within moments, seconds, and/or minutes (e.g.,within approximately 1-5 minutes from start to finish, or the like.). Asan example, in some embodiments, the apparatus having the process flow100 is configured to authorize and/or complete the transaction withinmoments, seconds, and/or minutes (e.g., within approximately 1-5minutes, or the like.) of: (a) receiving the transaction informationassociated with the transaction; and/or (b) determining that the accountwill exceed available funds or credit as a result of the transaction.

As mentioned above, in some embodiments, the apparatus having theprocess flow 100 is configured to provide, implement, and/or isotherwise associated with a service for account with unavailable fundsor credit. As used herein, the phrase “service for account withunavailable funds or credit” generally refers to a service that providesan account holder, account, and/or counterparty with the funds and/orcredit necessary to complete a transaction that may cause the account toexceed available funds or credit. For example, in some embodiments,where a transaction, if completed, would cause a checking account toexceed available funds by $10, the service for account with unavailablefunds or credit can provide the checking account with the $10 needed tocomplete the transaction. In accordance with some embodiments, theservice for account with unavailable funds or credit is referred to as asurpassed available funds service if the account participating in theservice is a deposit account. In other embodiments, the service foraccount with unavailable funds or credit in the credit account isreferred to as a surpassed credit threshold service if the accountparticipating in the service is a credit account.

In some embodiments, as required by one or more laws, rules, and/orregulations (sometimes collectively referred to herein as “surpassedbalance regulations” for simplicity), the holder must opt into theservice for account with unavailable funds or credit before the holdercan participate in and/or otherwise use the service for account withunavailable funds or credit. It will be understood that the holder mayenroll in the service for account with unavailable funds or credit at abanking center, through an electronic banking account, via a callcenter, and/or in some other way. In addition, in some alternativeembodiments, the apparatus having the process flow 100 is configured toprompt the holder to consent to, accept, and/or agree to (collectivelyreferred to herein as “agree to” for simplicity) one or more terms ofthe service for account with unavailable funds or credit. In someembodiments, the apparatus prompts the holder to agree to the one ormore terms of the service for account with unavailable funds or creditby prompting the holder to “opt into” and/or otherwise enroll in theservice for account with unavailable funds or credit. In some of theseembodiments, the apparatus prompts the holder during the transaction.

It will be understood that the service for account with unavailablefunds or credit includes one or more terms, which define the one or morerights, responsibilities, privileges, payments, features, and/orobligations of the service for account with unavailable funds or credit.For example, in some embodiments, the one or more terms of the servicefor account with unavailable funds or credit describe how the servicefor account with unavailable funds or credit works; identify the serviceprovider for account with unavailable funds or credit; define whatconstitutes exceeding available funds and credit; identify the one ormore exceeded available funds or credit payments assessed for enrollingin the service for account with unavailable funds or credit, forparticipating in the service for account with unavailable funds orcredit, and/or for engaging in a surpassed balance transaction; and/orthe like. As another example, in some embodiments, the one or more termsof the service for account with unavailable funds or credit requiresthat the holder use the passcode for the account with unavailable fundsor credit in order to participate in the service for account withunavailable funds or credit.

In some embodiments, the service for account with unavailable funds orcredit is provided by a financial institution, such as a bank, and isfunded by that financial institution (and not by an account held byand/or otherwise associated with the holder). For example, in someembodiments, the service for account with unavailable funds or credit isprovided by the same financial institution that maintains thetransaction machine, the apparatus configured to perform the processflow 100, and/or the account that exceeds, or will exceed, the availablefunds or credit. It will be understood that, in some embodiments, theservice for account with unavailable funds or credit (and/or the serviceprovider who deals with unavailable funds or credit) is regulated in theUnited States by the Electronic Funds Transfer Act, also known asFederal Reserve Board Regulation E (hereinafter “Regulation E”). Inother embodiments, the service for account with unavailable funds orcredit (and/or service provider that deals with unavailable funds orcredit) is regulated in the United States by the Credit CardAccountability Responsibility and Disclosure Act of 2009, which iscodified in the United States as Public Law No. 111-24 (sometimesreferred to herein, for simplicity, as the “Credit CARD Act of 2009” orthe “CARD Act”). In some embodiments, the service for account withunavailable funds or credit does not contractually obligate the serviceprovider that deals with unavailable funds or credit to cover amountthat exceeded the available funds or credit. In other words, in suchembodiments, the service provider that deals with unavailable funds orcredit account may choose to cover surpassed available funds and/orsurpassed credit threshold and/or transactions that may cause theaccount to exceed credit at its discretion. However, in otherembodiments, the service provider that deals with unavailable funds orcredit is contractually obligated and/or otherwise required to cover theamount that exceeds the available funds or credit.

In some embodiments, one or more portions of the process flow 100 may beconfigured to comply with one or more portions of surpassed balanceregulation. For example, in some embodiments, receiving passcode for theaccount with unavailable funds or credit, as represented by block 130,may comply with one or more consent, opt-in, and/or revocationrequirements of surpassed balance regulation. As another example, insome alternative embodiments, the apparatus is configured to send theholder a confirmation message that indicates that the holder consentedto the surpassed balance by providing the passcode for the account withunavailable funds or credit, and in some embodiments, this confirmationmessage may comply with one or more confirmation requirements ofsurpassed balance regulation.

It will be understood that the apparatus having the process flow 100 canbe configured to perform one or more portions of any embodimentdescribed and/or contemplated herein, such as, for example, one or moreportions of the process flow 200 described herein and/or one or moreportions of the process flows described in connection with FIGS. 4and/or 5. Also, the number, order, and/or content of the portions of theprocess flow 100 are exemplary and may vary. For example, in someembodiments, the apparatus having the process flow 100 is configured toassess a payment associated with the surpassed credit threshold (e.g.,assess an exceeded the available funds or credit payment to the accountand/or to the holder, or the like.), where the payment is based at leastpartially on the account exceeding the available funds or credit, on theaccount using the service for account with unavailable funds or credit,on the amount of the surpassed credit threshold, and/or on authorizingand/or completing the transaction. In some embodiments, the apparatus isconfigured to: (a) assess the account an exceeded available funds orcredit payment based at least partially on the apparatus determiningthat the account settled below balance at the end of the day in whichthe transaction occurred; and/or (b) determine not to assess the accountan exceeded available funds or credit payment based at least partiallyon the apparatus determining that the account settled non-negative(e.g., the account has a zero or positive available balance, or thelike.) at the end of the day in which the transaction occurred.

As another example, in some embodiments, the apparatus is configured todetermine whether the passcode for the account with unavailable funds orcredit has been received in order to determine whether the holder hasconsented to the amount that exceeds the available funds or credit. Insome of these embodiments, the apparatus is configured to store (e.g.,in a datastore) the holder's consent to the amount that exceeds theavailable funds or credit (and/or evidence that the holder provided thepasscode for the account with unavailable funds or credit), which may,in some embodiments, be required by one or more regulations pertainingto exceeded available funds or credit. As a further example, in someembodiments, the apparatus (and/or the transaction machine referred toin block 110) is configured to authenticate the holder as a condition ofreceiving the passcode for the account with unavailable funds or creditand/or providing service for unavailable funds or credit. In someembodiments, the apparatus (and/or transaction machine) is configured toauthenticate the holder based at least partially on account information(e.g., ATM/debit/credit card, account number, username, passcode,biometric information, barcode, or the like.) the holder inserts,provides, and/or presents (collectively referred to herein as “presents”for simplicity) to the transaction machine and/or to the apparatushaving the process flow 100.

As a further example of an additional or alternative portion, in someembodiments, the apparatus having the process flow 100 is configured togenerate and/or send disclosure information to the holder (i.e., inaddition to any disclosure information referred to in the process flow100) before the surpassed balance transaction is initiated, before theholder approaches the transaction machine, before the apparatus receivesthe transaction information, and/or before the apparatus receives thepasscode for the account with unavailable funds or credit. For example,in some embodiments, before the apparatus receives the transactioninformation, the apparatus is configured to generate and/or senddisclosure information to the holder that defines one or more terms of aservice for unavailable funds credit. This disclosure information can besent via one or more emails, telephone calls, text messages, instantmessages, IVR communications, communications specific to one or moresocial media networks and/or applications, direct mailings, electronicbanking account-specific messages, and/or the like. In some embodiments,the disclosure information is included in one or more communicationstypically sent to a holder, such as, for example, a periodic (e.g.,monthly) account statement. In other embodiments, instead of sending thedisclosure information before the surpassed balance transaction isinitiated, the apparatus having the process flow 100 is configured tothe send the disclosure information to the holder during the transaction(e.g., via the holder's mobile device and/or the transaction machine, orthe like.), so that the holder can review and consent to the one or moreterms of the service for unavailable funds or credit during thetransaction and/or while the holder is at the transaction machine. Insome of these embodiments, the holder can enroll in the service forunavailable funds or credit at the transaction machine, after thesurpassed balance transaction has been initiated, and/or before thesurpassed balance transaction has been completed. In some embodiments,sending the disclosure information to the holder may help a financialinstitution comply with one or more requirements of an regulationspertaining to exceeded available funds or credit.

Referring now to FIG. 2, a more-detailed process flow 200 is illustratedfor providing a service for account with unavailable funds or creditusing an PIN for the account with unavailable funds, in accordance withan embodiment of the present invention. It will be understood that theprocess flow 200 illustrated in FIG. 2 represents an example embodimentof the process flow 100 described in connection with FIG. 1. Inaccordance with some embodiments, one or more portions of the processflow 200 are performed by an apparatus having hardware and/or softwareconfigured to perform one or more portions of the process flow 200. Forexample, in some embodiments, one or more portions of the process flow200 are performed, individually or collectively, by the transactionmachine 320 described in connection with FIG. 3, the authorizationapparatus 330, the mobile device 340, and/or by any one or more portions(e.g., applications, or the like.) thereof Also, the apparatus havingthe process flow 200 may include, be included in, be embodied as, and/orbe operatively connected to the transaction machine referred to in theprocess flow 200. In accordance with some embodiments, the apparatushaving the process flow 200 is maintained by a bank for the benefit ofits customers. Also in accordance with some embodiments, the customerreferred to in the process flow 200 is the user of the transactionmachine and a customer of the bank. In addition, the account referred toin the process flow 200 is an account held by the customer andmaintained by the bank.

As represented by block 205, the bank customer enrolls in a service foraccount with unavailable funds or credit provided by the bank, such as,for example, by mail, banking center, call center, online banking,mobile banking application, and/or the like. During enrollment and/or asa result of enrolling, the apparatus having the process flow 200 assigns(and/or the customer selects) a PIN for the account for unavailablefunds for use in future surpassed balance transactions, as representedby block 210. For example, in some embodiments, the customer selects aPIN for the account with unavailable funds that is easy to rememberand/or similar to the primary PIN already associated with the customer,the customer's account, and/or the customer's debit and/or credit card(e.g., the customer selects “1227” as the PIN for the account withunavailable funds because the primary PIN is “1226”). After the PIN forthe account with unavailable funds is selected by or assigned to thecustomer and/or account, the apparatus having the process flow 200stores the PIN for the account with unavailable funds in a datastore(e.g., the account datastore 338, or the like.), as represented by block215. In some embodiments, the PIN for the account with unavailable fundsis stored in an account profile associated with the account, where theaccount profile and many other account profiles are stored in thedatastore.

Sometime after the customer enrolls in the service for account withunavailable funds or credit, the customer approaches a transactionmachine (e.g., POS device, ATM, personal computer, or the like.) for thepurpose of engaging in a transaction using the transaction machine, asrepresented by block 220. Thereafter, the customer presents accountinformation and inputs the primary PIN at the transaction machine, asrepresented by block 225. For example, in some embodiments where thetransaction machine is a POS device, the customer swipes a debit and/orcredit card associated with the customer's account through the POSdevice in order to communicate account information (e.g., informationassociated with the customer, the account, the debit and/or credit card,or the like.) to the POS device and/or to the apparatus having theprocess flow 200. In such embodiments, the customer also inputs, into auser interface of the POS device, the primary PIN that is associatedwith the debit and/or credit card (and/or the account) and that isrequired to engage in transactions using the debit and/or credit card(and/or account). As another example, in some embodiments where thetransaction machine is a personal computer, the customer inputs a creditcard number and the primary PIN for the credit card (and/or account)into a field of a web page, where the web page is associated with thetransaction and is displayed at the personal computer.

After the customer presents the account information and the primary PINat the transaction machine, the apparatus having the process flow 200(and/or the transaction machine) identifies and/or authenticates thecustomer, as represented by block 230. In some embodiments, the customeris identified and/or authenticated based at least partially on theaccount information and/or the primary PIN presented by the customer atthe transaction machine. After being identified and/or authenticated,the customer selects the transaction and/or agrees to the transactionamount, as represented by block 235. Then, as represented by block 240,the transaction machine sends an authorization request to the apparatushaving the process flow 200, where the authorization request identifiesand/or describes the transaction, the customer, the account, the debitand/or credit card, the account information, the primary PIN, and/or thelike.

Upon receiving the authorization request, the apparatus having theprocess flow 200 determines that the customer's account will exceedavailable funds or credit as a result of the transaction (e.g., theaccount has unavailable funds and/or credit to cover the transaction, orthe like.), as represented by block 245. Thereafter, the apparatus isconfigured to decline the authorization request and/or otherwisedecline, cancel, abort, and/or reject the transaction, as represented byblock 250.

In addition, as represented by block 255, the apparatus having theprocess flow 200 is configured to prompt the customer to input the PINfor the account with unavailable funds at the transaction machine. Thecustomer may be prompted in any way. For example, in some embodiments,the apparatus having the process flow 200 is configured to prompt thecustomer by sending a message to the transaction machine referred to inblock 220 and/or to a mobile device accessible to (e.g., carried by,controlled by, or the like.) the customer during the transaction, wherethe message prompts the customer to input the PIN for the account withunavailable funds into the transaction machine. The message may be anynumber and/or type of communication(s). For example, the message sentmay be one or more text messages, phone calls, emails, actionablealerts, audible outputs, mobile banking application-specific messages,social media-specific messages, and/or the like. The message may begenerated, rendered, displayed, and/or otherwise output visually (e.g.,via a display) and/or audibly (e.g., via a speaker). In addition, themessage may include any amount and/or type of information. For example,in some embodiments, the message includes explicit instructions for theholder to input the PIN for the account with unavailable funds into thetransaction machine (e.g., “You have engaged in a transaction at Store Athat will cause your checking account to exceed available funds orcredit. Please input your PIN for the account with unavailable fundsinto the POS device at Store A if you agree to cause your account toexceed available funds in order to complete the transaction”).Additionally or alternatively, the message may implicitly prompt thecustomer to input the PIN for the account with unavailable funds bynotifying the customer of the amount that exceeds the available funds orcredit, a payment associated with the amount that exceeds the availablefunds or credit, one or more terms of the service for account withunavailable funds or credit, and/or the like.

In some embodiments, the apparatus is configured to send the messageand/or otherwise prompt the customer within about fourteen (14) secondsof: (a) declining the authorization request; (b) determining that theaccount will exceed available funds or credit; (c) receiving theauthorization request; and/or (d) the transaction machine sending theauthorization request. Further, in some embodiments, in addition toprompting the customer to input the PIN for the account with unavailablefunds, the apparatus having the process flow 200 is configured to promptthe customer to re-present the account information (e.g., re-swipe thedebit and/or credit card) referred to in connection with block 225. Insome embodiments, the customer is sent a message that explicitlyinstructs the customer to re-present the account information, and insome embodiments, this message is the same message that prompts thecustomer to input the PIN for the credit account with unavailable funds.

In some alternative embodiments, instead of the customer selecting orbeing assigned the PIN for the account with unavailable funds during theenrollment process, the customer is first provided the PIN for theaccount with unavailable funds via the prompting represented by block255 and/or at some point after initiating the surpassed balancetransaction. For example, in some alternative embodiments, the apparatushaving the process flow 200 is configured to send a message to thecustomer after the apparatus determines that the account will exceedavailable funds or credit, where the message: (a) notifies the customerof the amount that exceeds the available funds or credit, a paymentassociated with the amount that exceeds the available funds or credit,one or more terms associated with a service for account with unavailablefunds or credit, or the like.; (b) provides the customer with the PINfor the account with unavailable funds for use in completing thesurpassed balance transaction ; and/or (c) prompts the customer to inputthe PIN for the account with unavailable funds into the transactionmachine (and/or re-present the account information) if the customerwishes to complete the surpassed balance transaction and/or to incur theexceeded available funds or credit payment. In some embodiments, the PINfor the account with unavailable funds that is provided to the customerafter the surpassed balance transaction has been initiated is adynamically-generated and/or one-time PIN for the account withunavailable funds, and/or is valid for only one surpassed balancetransaction and/or for only the surpassed balance transaction referredto in the process flow 200.

Referring again to FIG. 2, after being prompted, the customer inputs thePIN for the account with unavailable funds into the transaction machineand/or re-presents the account information (and/or presents otheraccount information) to the transaction machine, as represented by block260. For example, in some embodiments where the transaction machine is aPOS device, the customer can re-swipe his debit and/or credit cardthrough POS device and/or input the PIN for the account with unavailablefunds into a keypad of the transaction machine in order to re-initiateand/or complete the surpassed balance transaction. In some embodiments,by inputting the PIN for the account with unavailable funds into thetransaction machine, the customer may consent, either explicitly orimplicitly, to one or more terms of a service for account withunavailable funds or credit, to incurring an exceeded available funds orcredit payment associated with the amount that exceeds the availablefunds or credit, to completing the surpassed balance transaction, and/orthe like. Also, it will be understood that the customer may input hisPIN for the account with unavailable funds into the transaction machinein any way (e.g., using a keypad, microphone, touchscreen display, orthe like.).

It will be understood that, in this example embodiment, the apparatushaving the process flow 200 is configured to prompt the customer duringthe transaction (e.g., while the holder is still at and/or near thetransaction machine). As such, the customer may decline the amount thatexceeds the available funds or credit coverage (e.g., by declining toinput the PIN for the account with unavailable funds) because, forexample, the transaction involves a relatively small and/ordiscretionary purchase. However, in other cases, the customer may acceptthe amount that exceeds the available funds or credit coverage becausethe transaction involves a relatively large and/or an emergency and/ornon-discretionary purchase. Either way, the customer is empowered withmaking this decision, which reduces or eliminates the possibility thatthe customer will unknowingly or unexpectedly engage in a transactionthat may cause the account to exceed available funds (and/or unknowinglyor unexpectedly incur an exceeded available payment). In addition,because the apparatus prompts the customer during the transaction, thecustomer is able to make this decision in real-time and/or on aper-transaction basis. Further, the apparatus may also enable thecustomer to make this decision discreetly (e.g., by prompting thecustomer via the customer's mobile phone), thereby avoiding anyembarrassment associated with the amount that exceeds the availablefunds or credit, the exceeded available funds or credit payment, theservice for account with unavailable funds or credit, and/or the like.

After the customer inputs the PIN for the account with unavailable fundsand/or re-presents the account information, the transaction machinesends a second authorization request to the apparatus having the processflow 200, where the second authorization request identifies and/ordescribes the transaction, the customer, the account, the debit and/orcredit card, the account information, the primary PIN, the PIN for theaccount with unavailable funds, and/or the like, as represented by block265. In some embodiments, the information sent in the secondauthorization request is similar and/or identical to the informationsent in the first authorization request referred to in connection withblock 240, except that the second authorization request includes the PINfor the account with unavailable funds and the first authorizationrequest does not.

After receiving the second authorization request, the apparatusdetermines that the PIN for the account with unavailable funds sent inthe second authorization request matches the PIN for the account withunavailable funds stored in the datastore, as represented by block 270.For example, in some embodiments, the apparatus is configured to comparethe PIN for the account with unavailable funds sent in the secondauthorization request to a PIN for the account with unavailable fundsthat is stored in the account profile associated with the account. Ifthe two PINS associated with the account with unavailable funds match,the apparatus having the process flow 200 is configured to approve thesecond (and/or first) authorization request, authorize the surpassedbalance transaction, and/or instruct the transaction machine to completethe surpassed balance transaction, as represented by block 275.Thereafter, the transaction machine completes the surpassed balancetransaction (e.g., by dispensing cash, completing a credit card payment,or the like.), as represented by block 280. After the surpassed balancetransaction is completed, the customer leaves the transaction machine,as represented by block 285.

In accordance with some embodiments, one or more portions of the processflow 200 may comply with one or more requirements of an amount thatexceeds the available funds or credit regulation (e.g., Regulation Eand/or the CARD Act in the United States, or the like.). For example, insome embodiments, receiving the customer's PIN for the account withunavailable funds at the transaction machine, as represented by block260 may comply with one or more consent requirements of an amount thatexceeds the available funds or credit regulation because, in someembodiments, the customer may consent to the amount that exceeds theavailable funds or credit, the exceeded available funds or creditpayment, the surpassed balance transaction, and/or one or more terms ofa service for account with unavailable funds or credit by inputting thePIN for the account with unavailable funds into the transaction machine.In addition, in some embodiments, the apparatus completing the surpassedbalance transaction may comply with one or more regulation requirementspertaining to exceeded available funds or credit because, for example,the customer inputted the PIN for the account with unavailable funds andwas authenticated, all before the surpassed balance transaction wascompleted.

Of course, it will also be understood that the embodiment illustrated inFIG. 2 is merely exemplary and that other embodiments may vary withoutdeparting from the scope and spirit of the present invention. Forexample, in some alternative embodiments, the primary and PIN for theaccount with unavailable funds s referred to in the process flow 200 arepasswords, usernames, strings, and/or some other type of passcode. Asanother example, in some alternative embodiments, the apparatus mayreceive the PIN for the account with unavailable funds as a result ofthe customer inputting the PIN for the account with unavailable fundsinto a mobile device (e.g., mobile phone) carried by and/or accessibleto the customer during the transaction. In some embodiments, theapparatus is additionally or alternatively configured to prompt thecustomer to input the PIN for the account with unavailable funds intothe mobile device. As another example, in some alternative embodiments,the apparatus having the process flow 200 approves the firstauthorization request at block 275 because a second authorizationrequest is never sent and/or is not required. In other words, theapparatus can be configured to hold the original authorization requestuntil the PIN for the account with unavailable funds is received and thetransaction is authorized, or until a predetermined period of time haselapsed.

As another example, in some alternative embodiments, the portion of theprocess flow 200 represented by block 255 is omitted. In other words, insuch embodiments, the customer is not explicitly prompted to input thePIN for the account with unavailable funds at the transaction machineafter the surpassed balance transaction is declined; instead, thecustomer just knows, after and/or as a result of being declined, toinput the PIN for the account with unavailable fundsand/or re-presentthe account information at the transaction machine in order to completethe surpassed balance transaction. In some of these embodiments, thecustomer is prompted to input the PIN for the account with unavailablefunds based at least partially on the transaction being declined (e.g.,the declining the transaction implicitly prompts the customer to inputthe PIN for the account with unavailable funds).

In addition, in some alternative embodiments, before the apparatuscompares the two PINS, the apparatus may first determine, based at leastpartially on the second transaction request and/or the informationtherein, that the account will exceed available funds or credit as aresult of the transaction. In other words, in some embodiments, theapparatus may be configured to treat and/or otherwise process the secondauthorization request as if it were a new authorization request. In suchembodiments, the apparatus may be configured to regularly access thedatastore to determine whether the PIN sent in the authorization requestmatches the PIN for the account with unavailable funds that is stored inthe datastore and associated with the account.

In addition, it will also be understood that the apparatus having theprocess flow 200 can be configured to perform one or more portions ofthe process flow 200 in real time, in substantially real time, and/or atone or more predetermined times. The apparatus having the process flow200 may be configured to perform any of the portions of the process flow200 represented by blocks 205-280 upon or after one or more triggeringevents (which, in some embodiments, is the performance of one or more ofthe other portions of the process flow 200). In addition, in someembodiments, the apparatus having the process flow 200 (and/or acustomer thereof) is configured to perform one or more portions (orcombinations of portions) of the process flow 200, from start to finish,within moments, seconds, and/or minutes (e.g., within approximately 1-15minutes, or the like.).

Referring now to FIG. 3, a system 300 for providing a service foraccount with unavailable funds or credit using a passcode for theaccount with unavailable funds or credit is provided, in accordance withan embodiment of the present invention. As illustrated, the system 300includes a network 310, a transaction machine 320, an authorizationapparatus 330, and a mobile device 340. FIG. 3 also shows an accountholder 302 and a profile 308 of an account (e.g., account, savingsaccount, credit card account, LOC account, HELOC account, or the like.),where the profile 308 is stored in the account datastore 338 of theauthorization apparatus 330. The account is held by the holder 302,maintained by a financial institution at which the holder 302 is acustomer, and is associated with the account profile 308. As shown, theaccount profile 308 includes account information 308A associated withthe account (and/or holder 302), a primary passcode 308B associated withthe account (and/or holder 302), and a passcode for the account withunavailable funds or credit 308C associated with the account (and/orholder 302). In some embodiments, the holder 302 may access the accountprofile 308 via online banking, mobile banking, and/or text banking(e.g., by using the mobile device 340, the transaction machine 320,and/or some other apparatus). Also, as shown, the holder 302 has accessto the mobile device 340 and the transaction machine 320. In accordancewith some embodiments, the transaction machine 320 and the authorizationapparatus 330 are each maintained by the same financial institution. Forexample, in some embodiments, the holder 302 is a customer of thefinancial institution, the authorization apparatus 330 is embodied as anATM transaction server maintained by the financial institution, and thetransaction machine 320 is embodied as an ATM maintained by thefinancial institution. However, in other embodiments, the transactionmachine 320 and the authorization apparatus 330 are maintained byseparate entities. For example, in some embodiments, the transactionmachine 320 is embodied as a POS device maintained by a merchant, andthe authorization apparatus 330 is embodied as an authorization servermaintained by a financial institution. In accordance with someembodiments, the mobile device 340 is associated with the holder 302and/or is carried, owned, possessed, and/or owned by the holder 302.

As shown in FIG. 3, the transaction machine 320, the authorizationapparatus 330, and the mobile device 340 are each operatively andselectively connected to the network 310, which may include one or moreseparate networks. The network 310 may include one or more paymentnetworks (e.g., interbank networks, any wired and/or wireless networkover which payment information is sent, or the like.), telephonenetworks (e.g., cellular networks, CDMA networks, any wired and/orwireless network over which communications to telephones and/or mobilephones are sent, or the like.), local area networks (LANs), wide areanetworks (WANs), global area networks (GANs) (e.g., the Internet, or thelike.), and/or one or more other telecommunications networks. Forexample, in some embodiments, the network 310 includes a telephonenetwork (e.g., for communicating with the mobile device 340, or thelike.) and a payment network (e.g., for communicating with thetransaction machine 320, or the like.). It will also be understood thatthe network 310 may be secure and/or unsecure and may also includewireless and/or wired technology.

The transaction machine 320 may include any computerized apparatus thatcan be configured to perform any one or more of the functions of thetransaction machine 320 described and/or contemplated herein. It willalso be understood that the transaction machine 320 can include and/orbe embodied as, any transaction machine described and/or contemplatedherein. It will further be understood that the transaction machine 320can initiate, perform, complete, and/or otherwise facilitate anytransaction described and/or contemplated herein as being initiated,performed, and/or otherwise facilitated by a transaction machine. Forexample, in some embodiments, the transaction machine 320 includesand/or is embodied as an ATM, a POS device, a self-checkout machine, avending machine, a ticketing kiosk, a personal computer, a gamingdevice, a mobile phone, and/or the like. As another example, in someembodiments, the transaction machine 320 is configured to initiate,perform, complete, and/or otherwise facilitate one or more financialand/or non-financial transactions, including, for example, purchasing,renting, selling, and/or leasing goods and/or services (e.g., groceries,stamps, tickets, gift certificates, DVDs, or the like.); withdrawingcash; making deposits (e.g., cash, checks, or the like.); makingpayments (e.g., paying telephone bills, sending remittances, or thelike.); accessing and/or navigating the Internet; and/or the like.

In some embodiments, the transaction machine 320 (and/or one or moreother portions of the system 300) requires its users to authenticatethemselves to the transaction machine 320 (and/or one or more otherportions of the system 300) before the transaction machine 320 willinitiate, perform, complete, and/or facilitate a transaction. Forexample, in some embodiments, the transaction machine 320 (and/or thetransaction application 327) is configured to authenticate a transactionmachine user based at least partially on an ATM/debit/credit card,loyalty/rewards/club card, smart card, token (e.g., USB token, or thelike.), username/password, PIN, biometric information, and/or one ormore other credentials that the user presents to the transaction machine320. Additionally or alternatively, in some embodiments, the transactionmachine 320 is configured to authenticate a user by using one-, two-, ormulti-factor authentication. For example, in some embodiments, thetransaction machine 320 requires two-factor authentication, such thatthe holder 302 must provide a valid debit card and enter the correct PINfor the debit card in order to authenticate the holder 302 to thetransaction machine 320.

As illustrated in FIG. 3, in accordance with some embodiments of thepresent invention, the transaction machine 320 includes a communicationinterface 322, a processor 324, a memory 326 having a transactionapplication 327 stored therein, and a user interface 329. In suchembodiments, the processor 324 is operatively and selectively connectedto the communication interface 322, the user interface 329, and thememory 326.

Each communication interface described herein, including thecommunication interface 322, generally includes hardware, and, in someinstances, software, that enables a portion of the system 300, such asthe transaction machine 320, to send, receive, and/or otherwisecommunicate information to and/or from the communication interface ofone or more other portions of the system 300. For example, thecommunication interface 322 of the transaction machine 320 may include amodem, network interface controller (NIC), NFC interface, networkadapter, network interface card, and/or some other electroniccommunication device that operatively connects the transaction machine320 to another portion of the system 300, such as, for example, theauthorization apparatus 330.

Each processor described herein, including the processor 324, generallyincludes circuitry for implementing the audio, visual, and/or logicfunctions of that portion of the system 300. For example, the processormay include a digital signal processor device, a microprocessor device,and various analog-to-digital converters, digital-to-analog converters,and other support circuits. Control and signal processing functions ofthe system in which the processor resides may be allocated between thesedevices according to their respective capabilities. The processor mayalso include functionality to operate one or more software programsbased at least partially on computer-executable program code portionsthereof, which may be stored, for example, in a memory device, such asin the transaction application 327 of the memory 326 of the transactionmachine 320.

Each memory device described herein, including the memory 326 forstoring the transaction application 327 and other information, mayinclude any computer-readable medium. For example, the memory mayinclude volatile memory, such as volatile random access memory (RAM)having a cache area for the temporary storage of data. Memory may alsoinclude non-volatile memory, which may be embedded and/or may beremovable. The non-volatile memory may additionally or alternativelyinclude an EEPROM, flash memory, and/or the like. The memory may storeany one or more of portions of information used by the apparatus inwhich it resides to implement the functions of that apparatus.

As shown in FIG. 3, the memory 326 includes the transaction application327. It will be understood that the transaction application 327 can beoperable (e.g., usable, executable, or the like.) to initiate, perform,complete, and/or facilitate one or more portions of any embodimentdescribed and/or contemplated herein, such as, for example, one or moreportions of the process flows 100 and/or 200 described herein and/or oneor more portions of the process flows described in connection with FIGS.4 and/or 5. For example, in some embodiments, the transactionapplication 327 is operable to receive transaction informationassociated with a transaction. As another example, in some embodiments,the transaction application 327 is operable to determine, based at leastpartially on that transaction information, that an account (e.g., theaccount held by the holder 302, or the like.) will exceed availablefunds or credit as a result of a transaction. In some embodiments, thetransaction application 327 is operable to receive a passcode for theaccount with unavailable funds or credit (e.g., the passcode for theaccount with unavailable funds or credit 308C) associated with theaccount, and/or authorize a transaction based at least partially onreceiving the amount that exceeds the available funds or creditpasscode. In still other embodiments, the transaction application 327 isoperable to complete one or more transactions at the transaction machine320 (e.g., complete a purchase transaction, dispense cash, accept acheck for deposit, or the like.). As a further example, in someembodiments, the transaction application 327 is operable to prompt theholder 302 to input a passcode (e.g., the primary passcode 308B, thepasscode for the account with unavailable funds or credit 308C) into thetransaction machine (e.g., into the user interface 329). In still otherembodiments, the transaction application 327 is operable to generateand/or send authorization requests associated with one or moretransactions to the authorization apparatus 330.

In some embodiments, where the transaction machine 320 includes and/oris embodied as an ATM, the transaction application 327 is configured toexecute on the ATM in order to initiate, perform, complete, and/orfacilitate, for example, one or more cash withdrawals, deposits, and/orthe like. In other embodiments, where the transaction machine 320includes and/or is embodied as a POS device, the transaction application327 is configured to execute on the POS device in order to initiate,perform, complete, and/or facilitate, for example, one or more debitcard and/or credit card transactions. In still other embodiments, wherethe transaction machine 320 includes and/or is embodied as a personalcomputer, the transaction application 327 is configured to execute onthe personal computer, and, in some embodiments, the transactionapplication 327 is embodied as a web browser (i.e., for navigating theInternet, or the like.) that is operable to initiate, perform, complete,and/or otherwise facilitate one or more financial and/or non-financialtransactions.

In some embodiments, the transaction application 327 is operable toenable the holder 302 and/or transaction machine 320 to communicate withone or more other portions of the system 300, and/or vice versa. In someembodiments, the transaction application 327 is additionally oralternatively operable to initiate, perform, complete, and/or otherwisefacilitate one or more financial and/or non-financial transactions. Insome embodiments, the transaction application 327 includes one or morecomputer-executable program code portions for causing and/or instructingthe processor 324 to perform one or more of the functions of thetransaction application 327 and/or transaction machine 320 describedand/or contemplated herein. In some embodiments, the transactionapplication 327 includes and/or uses one or more network and/or systemcommunication protocols.

As shown in FIG. 3, the transaction machine 320 also includes the userinterface 329. It will be understood that the user interface 329 (andany other user interface described and/or contemplated herein) caninclude and/or be embodied as one or more user interfaces. It will alsobe understood that, in some embodiments, the user interface 329 includesone or more user output devices for presenting information and/or one ormore items to the transaction machine user (e.g., the holder 302, or thelike.), such as, for example, one or more displays, speakers, receiptprinters, dispensers (e.g., cash dispensers, ticket dispensers,merchandise dispensers, or the like.), and/or the like. In someembodiments, the user interface 329 additionally or alternativelyincludes one or more user input devices, such as, for example, one ormore buttons, keys, dials, levers, directional pads, joysticks,keyboards, keypads, mouses, accelerometers, controllers, microphones,touchpads, touchscreens, haptic interfaces, styluses, scanners,biometric readers, motion detectors, cameras, card readers (e.g., forreading the magnetic strip on magnetic cards such as ATM, debit, credit,and/or bank cards, or the like.), deposit mechanisms (e.g., fordepositing checks and/or cash, or the like.), and/or the like forreceiving information from one or more items and/or from the transactionmachine user (e.g., the holder 302, or the like.). In some embodiments,the user interface 329 and/or the transaction machine 320 includes oneor more vaults, security sensors, locks, and/or anything else typicallyincluded in and/or near the transaction machine.

FIG. 3 also illustrates an authorization apparatus 330, in accordancewith an embodiment of the present invention. The authorization apparatus330 may include any computerized apparatus that can be configured toperform any one or more of the functions of the authorization apparatus330 described and/or contemplated herein. It will also be understoodthat the authorization apparatus 330 can include and/or be embodied asany authorization apparatus described and/or contemplated herein. Itwill further be understood that the authorization apparatus 330 caninitiate, perform, complete, and/or otherwise facilitate any transactiondescribed and/or contemplated herein as being initiated, performed,and/or otherwise facilitated by an authorization apparatus. In someembodiments, the authorization apparatus 330 includes and/or is embodiedas one or more servers, engines, mainframes, personal computers, ATMs,network devices, front end systems, back end systems, and/or the like.In some embodiments, such as the one illustrated in FIG. 3, theauthorization apparatus 330 includes a communication interface 332, aprocessor 334, and a memory 336, which includes an authorizationapplication 337 and an account datastore 338 stored therein. As shown,the communication interface 332 is operatively and selectively connectedto the processor 334, which is operatively and selectively connected tothe memory 336.

The authorization application 337 can be operable (e.g., usable,executable, or the like.) to initiate, perform, complete, and/orfacilitate any one or more portions of the process flows 100 and/or 200described herein and/or one or more portions of the process flowsdescribed in connection with FIGS. 4 and/or 5. For example, in someembodiments, the authorization application 337 is operable to receivetransaction information associated with a transaction. As anotherexample, in some embodiments, the authorization application 337 isoperable to determine, based at least partially on that transactioninformation, that an account (e.g., the account, or the like.) willexceed available funds or credit as a result of a transaction. In someembodiments, the authorization application 337 is operable to receive apasscode for the account with unavailable funds or credit (e.g., thepasscode for the account with unavailable funds or credit 308C)associated with the account, and/or authorize a transaction based atleast partially on receiving the passcode for the account withunavailable funds or credit.

As another example, in some embodiments, the transaction application 327is operable to prompt the holder 302 to input a passcode (e.g., theprimary passcode 308B, the passcode for the account with unavailablefunds or credit 308C) into the transaction machine (e.g., into the userinterface 329) and/or the mobile device 340. In some of theseembodiments, the authorization application 337 prompts the holder 302via the user interface 329 of the transaction machine 320 and/or via theuser interface 349 of the mobile device 340. In some embodiments, theauthorization application 337 receiving the passcode for the accountwith unavailable funds or credit from the holder 302 serves to indicatethat the holder 302 consents to incurring an amount that exceeds theavailable funds or credit, to incurring an exceeded available funds orcredit payment, to completing a surpassed balance transaction, and/or toone or more terms of a service for account with unavailable funds orcredit. Also, in some embodiments, the authorization application 337 isoperable to receive the primary passcode and/or passcode for the accountwith unavailable funds or credit from the holder 302 via the mobiledevice 340 and/or via the transaction machine 320.

As another example, in some embodiments, the authorization application337 is operable to generate and/or send disclosure information to theholder 302, where the disclosure information defines one or more termsof a service for account with unavailable funds or credit. In someembodiments, the authorization application 337 generates and/or sendsthis disclosure information to the holder 302 prior to the holder 302initiating and/or engaging in a transaction at the transaction machine320. However, in other embodiments, the authorization application 337 isoperable to send the disclosure information to the holder 302 during thesurpassed balance transaction and/or while the holder 302 is standing atthe transaction machine 320. Also, in some embodiments, theauthorization application 337 is further operable to prompt the holder302 (e.g., via the user interface 329, via the user interface 349,during the surpassed balance transaction, or the like.) to agree to theone or more terms of the service for account with unavailable funds orcredit defined in the disclosure information. In some embodiments, theauthorization application 337 is operable to send a confirmation messageto the holder 302 that confirms receipt of the holder's passcode for theaccount with unavailable funds or credit and/or that confirms theholder's consent to the amount that exceeds the available funds orcredit and/or to completing the transaction. In some embodiments, theauthorization application 337 is operable to perform one or more ofthese (and/or other) functions, such that a financial institution maycomply with one or more amount that exceeds the available funds orcredit regulation requirements (e.g., Regulation E in the United States,or the like.).

In some embodiments, the authorization application 337 is operable toenable the authorization apparatus 330 to communicate with one or moreother portions of the system 300, such as, for example, the accountdatastore 338, the mobile device 340, and/or the transaction machine320, and/or vice versa. In addition, in some embodiments, theauthorization application 337 is operable to initiate, perform,complete, and/or otherwise facilitate one or more financial and/ornon-financial transactions. In some embodiments, the authorizationapplication 337 includes one or more computer-executable program codeportions for causing and/or instructing the processor 334 to perform oneor more of the functions of the authorization application 337 and/or theauthorization apparatus 330 that are described and/or contemplatedherein. In some embodiments, the authorization application 337 includesand/or uses one or more network and/or system communication protocols.

In addition to the authorization application 337, the memory 336 alsoincludes the account datastore 338. As shown, the account datastore 338stores the account profile 308, which includes account information 308A,the primary passcode 308B, and the passcode for the account withunavailable funds or credit 308C. The account information 308A mayinclude any information associated with the account held by the holder302, including, for example, information associated with one or moreaccount holders (e.g., holder 302), transaction histories, when theaccount last used a service for account with unavailable funds orcredit, account preferences, billing information, the terms andconditions associated with the account, and/or the like. The primarypasscode 308B may include any information associated with a primarypasscode, such as, for example, the primary passcode itself (e.g.,“3578,” “235145,” “chiefs,” or the like.), when the primary passcode wasselected by the holder 302 or assigned by the financial institutionmaintaining the account and/or providing the service for account withunavailable funds or credit, when the primary passcode was last used, orthe like. The passcode for the account with unavailable funds or credit308C may include any information associated with a passcode for theaccount with unavailable funds or credit, including, for example, thepasscode for the account with unavailable funds or credit itself (e.g.,“4598,” “12345,” “exceededfunds123,” or the like.), when the passcodefor the account with unavailable funds or credit was selected by theholder 302 or assigned by the financial institution maintaining theamount and/or providing the service for account with unavailable fundsor credit, when the passcode for the account with unavailable funds orcredit was last used, any one or more conditions associated with usingthe passcode for the account with unavailable funds or credit (e.g., thepasscode for the account with unavailable funds or credit may be used tocomplete ATM transactions but not POS device transactions, to consent toamount that exceeds the available funds or credit of $45 or more, or thelike.).

It will be understood that the account datastore 338 can be configuredto store any type and/or amount of information. In addition to theaccount profile 308, the account datastore 338 may include informationassociated with one or more account holders (e.g., the holder 302,account holders other than the holder 302), account profiles (i.e.,other than the account profile 308), financial accounts (i.e., otherthan the account held by the holder 302), transaction machines,transaction machine users, transactions, amount that exceed availablefunds or credit, electronic banking accounts, primary passcodes,passcodes associated with the account with unavailable funds , mobiledevices, service for account with unavailable funds or credits,authorization requests, regulations pertaining to exceeded availablefunds or credit, and/or the like. In some embodiments, the accountdatastore 338 may also store any information related to providing aservice for account with unavailable funds or credit using a passcodefor the account with unavailable funds or credit. In some embodiments,the account datastore 338 additionally or alternatively storesinformation associated with electronic banking (e.g., online banking,mobile banking, text banking, or the like.) and/or electronic bankingaccounts.

In accordance with some embodiments, the account datastore 338 mayinclude any one or more storage devices, including, but not limited to,datastores, databases, and/or any of the other storage devices typicallyassociated with a computer system. It will also be understood that theaccount datastore 338 may store information in any known way, such as,for example, by using one or more computer codes and/or languages,alphanumeric character strings, data sets, figures, tables, charts,links, documents, and/or the like. Further, in some embodiments, theaccount datastore 338 includes information associated with one or moreapplications, such as, for example, the authorization application 337and/or the transaction application 327. In some embodiments, the accountdatastore 338 provides a real-time or near real-time representation ofthe information stored therein, so that, for example, when the processor334 accesses the account datastore 338, the information stored thereinis current or nearly current. Although not shown, in some embodiments,the transaction machine 320 includes a transaction datastore that isconfigured to store any information associated with the transactionmachine 320, the transaction application 327, and/or the like. It willbe understood that the transaction datastore can store information inany known way, can include information associated with anything shown inFIG. 3, and/or can be configured similar to the account datastore 338.

Referring now to FIG. 3A, a block diagram is provided that illustratesthe mobile device 340 of FIG. 3 in more detail, in accordance with anembodiment of the invention. In some embodiments, the mobile device 340is a mobile phone (e.g., feature phones, smart phones, or the like.),but in other embodiments, the mobile device 340 can include and/or beembodied as any other mobile device, including, but not limited to,mobile gaming devices, mobile computers (e.g., tablet computers, laptopcomputers, or the like.), personal digital assistants (PDAs), and/or thelike. In some embodiments, the mobile device is configured to sendand/or receive communications (e.g., phone calls, text messages,actionable alerts, emails, social media-specific messages, or thelike.), present information via a user interface, play video games,and/or the like. In some embodiments, the mobile device is portable(e.g., not stationary) and/or can be carried and/or worn by and/or on aperson. As shown in FIG. 3A, the mobile device 340 generally includes aprocessor 344 operatively connected to such devices as a memory 346,user interface 349 (i.e., user output devices 349A and user inputdevices 349B), a communication interface 342, a power source 345, aclock or other timer 343, a camera 341, and a positioning system device390.

The processor 344 may include the functionality to encode and interleavemessages and data prior to modulation and transmission. The processor344 can additionally include an internal data modem. Further, theprocessor 344 may include functionality to operate one or more softwareprograms, which may be stored in the memory 346. For example, theprocessor 344 may be capable of operating a connectivity program, suchas a web browser application 348. The web browser application 348 maythen allow the mobile device 340 to transmit and receive web content,such as, for example, location-based content and/or other web pagecontent, according to a Wireless Application Protocol (WAP), HypertextTransfer Protocol (HTTP), and/or the like.

The processor 344 is configured to use the communication interface 342to communicate with one or more other devices on the network 310. Inthis regard, the communication interface 342 includes an antenna 376operatively coupled to a transmitter 374 and a receiver 372 (together a“transceiver”). The processor 344 is configured to provide signals toand receive signals from the transmitter 374 and receiver 372,respectively. The signals may include signaling information inaccordance with the air interface standard of the applicable cellularsystem of the wireless telephone network 310. In this regard, the mobiledevice 340 may be configured to operate with one or more air interfacestandards, communication protocols, modulation types, and access types.By way of illustration, the mobile device 340 may be configured tooperate in accordance with any of a number of first, second, third,and/or fourth-generation communication protocols and/or the like. Forexample, the mobile device 340 may be configured to operate inaccordance with second-generation (2G) wireless communication protocolsIS-136 (time division multiple access (TDMA)), GSM (global system formobile communication), and/or IS-95 (code division multiple access(CDMA)), or with third-generation (3G) wireless communication protocols,such as Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), CDMA2000,wideband CDMA (WCDMA) and/or time division-synchronous CDMA (TD-SCDMA),with fourth-generation (4G) wireless communication protocols, and/or thelike. The mobile device 340 may also be configured to operate inaccordance with non-cellular communication mechanisms, such as via awireless local area network (WLAN) or other communication/data networks.

The communication interface 342 may also include a near fieldcommunication (NFC) interface 370. As used herein, the phrase “NFCinterface” generally refers to hardware and/or software that isconfigured to wirelessly send and/or receive information over relativelyshort ranges (e.g., within four inches, within three feet, withinfifteen feet, or the like.). The NFC interface 370 may include a smartcard, key card, proximity card, short range transmission device, radiofrequency identification (RFID) tag and/or reader, transmitter,receiver, and/or the like. In some embodiments, the NFC interface 370communicates information via radio, infrared (IR), and/or opticaltransmissions. In some embodiments, the NFC interface 370 is configuredto operate as an NFC transmitter and/or as an NFC receiver (e.g., an NFCreader, or the like.). In some embodiments, the NFC interface 370enables the mobile device 340 to operate as a mobile wallet. Also, itwill be understood that the NFC interface 370 may be embedded, built,carried, and/or otherwise supported in and/or on the mobile device 340.In some embodiments, the NFC interface 370 is not supported in and/or onthe mobile device 340, but the NFC interface 370 is otherwiseoperatively connected to the mobile device 340 (e.g., where the NFCinterface 370 is a peripheral device plugged into the mobile device 340,or the like.). Other apparatuses having NFC interfaces mentioned hereinmay be configured similarly.

In some embodiments, the NFC interface 370 of the mobile device 340 isconfigured to wirelessly communicate information to and/or from acorresponding NFC interface of another apparatus (e.g., the transactionmachine 320, or the like.). For example, in some embodiments, the mobiledevice 340 is a mobile phone, the NFC interface 370 is a smart cardhaving account information stored therein, and the transaction machine320 is a POS device having an NFC reader operatively connected thereto.In such embodiments, when the mobile phone and/or smart card is broughtwithin a relatively short range of the NFC reader, the smart card isconfigured to wirelessly send the account information to the NFC readerin order to, for example, initiate, perform, complete, and/or otherwisefacilitate a transaction.

In addition to the NFC interface 370, the mobile device 340 can have auser interface 349 that is, like other user interfaces described herein,made up of one or more user output devices 349A and/or user inputdevices 349B. The user output devices 349A include a display 380 (e.g.,a liquid crystal display and/or the like) and a speaker 382 and/or otheraudio device, which are operatively coupled to the processor 344. Theuser input devices 349B, which allow the mobile device 340 to receivedata from a user such as the holder 302, may include any of a number ofdevices allowing the mobile device 340 to receive data from a user, suchas a keypad, keyboard, touch-screen, touchpad, microphone, mouse,joystick, other pointer device, button, soft key, and/or other inputdevice(s). The user interface 349 may also include a camera 341, such asa digital camera.

In some embodiments, the mobile device 340 also includes a positioningsystem device 390 that can be used to determine the location of themobile device 340. For example, the positioning system device 390 mayinclude a GPS transceiver. In some embodiments, the positioning systemdevice 390 includes a compass. In some embodiments, the positioningsystem device 390 is at least partially made up of the antenna 376,transmitter 374, and receiver 372 described above. For example, in oneembodiment, triangulation of cellular signals may be used to identifythe approximate location of the mobile device 340. In other embodiments,the positioning system device 390 includes a proximity sensor and/ortransmitter, such as an RFID tag, that can sense or be sensed by devicesknown to be located proximate a merchant and/or other location todetermine that the mobile device 340 is located proximate these knowndevices.

The mobile device 340 further includes a power source 345, such as abattery, for powering various circuits and other devices that are usedto operate the mobile device 340. Embodiments of the mobile device 340may also include a clock or other timer 343 configured to determine and,in some cases, communicate actual or relative time to the processor 344or one or more other devices.

The mobile device 340 also includes a memory 346 operatively connectedto the processor 344. As used herein, memory includes any computerreadable medium (as defined herein) configured to store data, code,and/or other information. The memory 346 may include volatile memory,such as volatile Random Access Memory (RAM) including a cache area forthe temporary storage of data. The memory 346 may also includenon-volatile memory, which can be embedded and/or may be removable. Thenon-volatile memory can additionally or alternatively include anelectrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), flashmemory or the like.

The memory 346 can store any of a number of applications which mayinclude computer-executable instructions/code executed by the processor344 to implement the functions of the mobile device 340 describedherein. For example, the memory 346 may include such applications as aweb browser application 348 and/or a mobile banking application 347. Itwill be understood that the web browser application 348 and/or themobile banking application 347 can be, individually or collectively,operable (e.g., usable, executable, or the like.) to initiate, perform,complete, and/or facilitate any one or more portions of the processflows 100 and/or 200 described herein and/or one or more portions of theprocess flows described in connection with FIGS. 4 and/or 5. Forexample, in some embodiments, the mobile banking application 347 (and/orthe web browser application 348) is operable to prompt, via the userinterface 349, the holder 302 to input a primary passcode and/or apasscode for the account with unavailable funds or credit into thetransaction machine 320 and/or the mobile device 340. As still anotherexample, in some embodiments, the mobile banking application 347 (and/orthe web browser application 348) is operable to receive, via the userinterface 349, the holder's 302 primary passcode and/or passcode for theaccount with unavailable funds or credit. In still other embodiments,the mobile banking application 347 (and/or the web browser application348) is operable to determine that the account will exceed availablefunds or credit as a result of a transaction. As still another example,in some embodiments, the mobile banking application 347 (and/or the webbrowser application 348) is operable to provide the holder 302 with aone-time, dynamic, random, and/or transaction-specific passcode for theaccount with unavailable funds or credit, which may be input into themobile device 340 and/or transaction machine 320 to, for example,consent to incurring an amount that exceeds the available funds orcredit, to incurring an exceeded available funds or credit payment, tocompleting an surpassed balance transaction, and so on.

In some embodiments, these applications provide a graphical userinterface (GUI) on the display 380 that allows the holder 302 tocommunicate with the mobile device 340, the transaction machine 320, theauthorization apparatus 330, and/or one or more other portions of thesystem 300. In some embodiments, the holder 302 can use the mobilebanking application 347 to access the electronic banking account 309(e.g., mobile banking account, text banking account, or the like.) thatis associated with the account. The memory 346 can also store any typeand/or amount information used by the mobile device 340, and/or used bythe applications and/or the devices that make up the mobile device 340and/or that are in communication with the mobile device 340, toimplement the functions of the mobile device 340 and/or the othersystems described and/or contemplated herein. For example, in someembodiments, the memory 346 stores account information (e.g., routingand/or account numbers, account names, username/passwords, primarypasscodes, passcode for the account with unavailable funds or credit,biometric information, or the like.) associated with the holder 302and/or account.

The embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 3A are exemplary and otherembodiments may vary. For example, in some embodiments, some or all ofthe portions of the system 300 are combined into a single portion.Specifically, in some embodiments, the transaction machine 320 and theauthorization apparatus 330 are combined into a single transaction andauthorization apparatus that is configured to perform all of the samefunctions of those separate portions as described and/or contemplatedherein. Likewise, in some embodiments, some or all of the portions ofthe system 300 are separated into two or more distinct portions. Inaddition, the various portions of the system 300 may be maintained bythe same or separate parties.

The system 300 and/or one or more portions of the system 300 may includeand/or implement any embodiment of the present invention describedand/or contemplated herein. For example, in some embodiments, the system300 (and/or one or more portions of the system 300) is configured toimplement any one or more embodiments of the process flow 100 describedand/or contemplated herein in connection with FIG. 1, any one or moreembodiments of the process flow 200 described and/or contemplated hereinin connection with FIG. 2, any one or more embodiments of the processflow described and/or contemplated herein in connection with FIG. 4,and/or any one or more of embodiments of the process flow describedand/or contemplated herein in connection with FIG. 5.

As a specific example, in accordance with an embodiment of the presentinvention, the authorization apparatus 330 is configured to: (a) receivetransaction information associated with a transaction, where thetransaction involves the account, the transaction machine 320, and theholder 302, and where the account is associated with the primarypasscode 308B (e.g., “3456”), as represented by block 110 in FIG. 1; (b)determine, based at least partially on the transaction information, thatthe account will exceed available funds or credit as a result of thetransaction, as represented by block 120; (c) receive (e.g., via theuser interface 349, via the user interface 329, or the like.) thepasscode for the account with unavailable funds or credit 308C (e.g.,“3457”) associated with the account, as represented by block 130; and(e) authorize the transaction based at least partially on receiving thepasscode for the account with unavailable funds or credit 308C, asrepresented by block 140. In accordance with some embodiments, thetransaction machine 320, the authorization apparatus 330, and/or themobile device 340 are each configured to send and/or receive one or moreinstructions to and/or from each other, such that an instruction sent,for example, from the authorization apparatus 330 to the mobile device340 (and/or vice versa) can trigger the mobile device 340 (and/or viceversa) to perform one or more portions of any one or more of theembodiments described and/or contemplated herein.

Referring now to FIG. 4, a mixed block and flow diagram of a system 400for providing a service for unavailable funds using a PIN for theaccount with unavailable funds and a mobile phone is provided, inaccordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Itwill be understood that the system 400 illustrated in FIG. 4 representsan example embodiment of the process flow 200 described in connectionwith FIG. 2. As shown, the system 400 includes a POS device 401 (e.g.,the transaction machine 320, a merchant terminal, or the like.), anauthorization server 403 (e.g., the authorization apparatus 330, or thelike.), and a mobile phone 405 (e.g., the mobile device 340, or thelike.). The POS device 401, the authorization server 403, and the mobilephone 405 may each include a communication interface, a user interface,a processor, a memory, an application, and/or a datastore, and thosecomponents may be operatively connected to each other.

In accordance with some embodiments, the POS device 401 and the mobilephone 405 are operatively and selectively connected to the authorizationserver 403 via one or more networks (not shown). For example, in someembodiments, the POS device 401 is operatively connected to theauthorization server 403 via a payment network, and/or the mobile phone405 is operatively connected to the authorization server 403 via atelephone network. Also, the POS device 401 and the mobile phone 405 areaccessible to a customer of a financial institution (not shown). Also,in this example embodiment, the POS device 401 is maintained by amerchant, the mobile phone 405 is maintained by the customer of thefinancial institution, and the authorization server 403 is maintained bythe financial institution. Further, in accordance with some embodiments,the financial institution maintains the account held by the customer andassociated with the debit card mentioned below. Still further, in thisexample embodiment, the account is associated with a primary PIN and aPIN for the account with unavailable funds. In some embodiments, thesePINS were selected by or assigned to the customer before the transactionreferred to in FIG. 4 was initiated (e.g., before the customer performsthe function represented by block 402).

As represented by block 402, the customer swipes a debit card at the POSdevice 401 and inputs the primary PIN into the POS device 401 to engagein a debit card transaction involving the customer and the merchant.Although not shown, the POS device 401 may also authenticate thecustomer based at least partially on one or more credentials thecustomer provides to the POS device 401 (e.g., based on the debit cardswiped, the primary PIN provided, or the like.). Next, as represented byblock 404, the POS device 401 generates and sends an authorizationrequest associated with the debit card transaction to the authorizationserver 403. In accordance with some embodiments, the authorizationrequest includes information that, for example, identifies the customer,the primary PIN, the account associated with the debit card, the amountof the transaction, the one or more goods and/or services involved inthe transaction, and/or the like. As represented by block 406, theauthorization server 403 then determines that the account associatedwith the debit card will cause an account to exceed available funds as aresult of the transaction. In this example embodiment, after making thedetermination that the transaction will cause the account to exceedavailable funds or credit, the authorization server 403 declines theauthorization request, as represented by block 408. Also, as representedby block 410, the authorization server 403 determines that the customeris enrolled in a service for unavailable funds provided by the financialinstitution. Thereafter, as represented by block 412, the authorizationserver 403 identifies a phone number associated with the account by, forexample, accessing an account datastore and/or account profile havinginformation associated with the account (e.g., the phone number) storedtherein. In some embodiments, the customer provides the financialinstitution with his phone number (e.g., the phone number of the mobilephone 405) when the customer enrolls in the service for unavailablefunds.

After the authorization server 403 identifies the phone number, theauthorization server 403 sends a text message (e.g., SMS message, MMSmessage, EMS message, or the like.) to the phone number, whichcorresponds to the mobile phone 405, as represented by block 414. Inaccordance with some embodiments, the text message received by themobile phone 405: (a) notifies the customer of that the transaction mayexceed available funds or credit in the account; and (b) prompts thecustomer to consent to exceeding available funds in the account by: (i)re-swiping the debit card at the POS device 401; and (ii) inputting thePIN for the account with unavailable funds into the POS device 401. Insome embodiments, the text message received by the mobile phone 405 isdelivered visually to the customer via a display of the mobile phone405. After reading the text message at the mobile phone 414, thecustomer re-swipes the debit card at the POS device 401 and inputs thePIN for the account with unavailable funds into the POS device 401, asrepresented by block 416. In some embodiments, by re-swiping the debitcard and/or inputting the PIN for the account with unavailable funds,the customer agrees to causing the account to exceed available funds orcredit in order to complete the transaction that may cause the accountto exceed available funds, agrees to complete the transaction, and/oragrees to incur one or more exceeded available funds associated withusing the service for unavailable funds and/or causing the account toexceed available funds.

After the customer re-swipes the debit card and inputs the PIN for theaccount with unavailable funds, the POS device 401 generates and sendsanother authorization request to the authorization server 403, asrepresented by block 418, which is approved by the authorization server403, as represented by block 420. In some embodiments, the authorizationserver 403 approves the second authorization request based at leastpartially on receiving the customer's PIN for the account withunavailable funds and/or based at least partially on the customerre-swiping his debit card at the POS device 401. After the secondauthorization request has been approved, the transaction is completed atthe POS device 401, as represented by block 422. It will be understoodthat, in some embodiments, the first authorization request, asrepresented by block 404, represents the first attempt to complete thetransaction referred to in block 402, and the second authorizationrequest, as represented by block 418, represents a second attempt tocomplete the same transaction. In addition to completing thetransaction, in some embodiments, as represented by block 424, theauthorization server 403 is configured to generate and/or send an emailto the mobile phone 405 that confirms that the customer consented to thecausing an account to exceed available funds by inputting the PIN forthe account with unavailable funds into the POS device 401.

Of course, the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4 is merely exemplary andother embodiments may vary without departing from the scope and spiritof the present invention. For example, in some alternative embodiments,the first authorization request is not declined by the authorizationserver 403, the customer is not required to re-swipe the debit card atthe POS device 401, and the second authorization request is never sent.Instead, in such embodiments, after receiving the customer's consent tothe cause an account to exceed available funds, the authorization server403 is configured to approve the first authorization request referred toin block 404, and the transaction is completed at the POS device 401. Asanother example, in some alternative embodiments, one or more portionsof the process flow being performed by the mobile phone 405 areperformed instead by the POS device 401. As still another example, insome alternative embodiments of the present invention, instead ofinvolving a debit card, a checking account, a debit card transaction,and/or a service for unavailable funds, the process flow shown in FIG. 4involves a credit card, a credit card account, a credit cardtransaction, and/or a service for credit. As still another example, insome alternative embodiments, the customer does not need to re-swipe thedebit card at the POS device 401 to complete the transaction that maycause the account to exceed available funds; instead, the customer needonly input the PIN for the account with unavailable funds at the POSdevice 401.

As yet another example, in some alternative embodiments, the customer isnot prompted via the mobile phone 405 to input the PIN for the accountwith unavailable funds into the POS device 401; rather, in suchembodiments, the customer is prompted to input the PIN for the accountwith unavailable funds into the POS device 401 based at least partiallyon the transaction being declined (e.g., the transaction being declinedis what prompts the customer to input the PIN for the account withunavailable funds). As another example, in some alternative embodiments,the customer is prompted (e.g., via the mobile phone 405, via the POSdevice 401, or the like.) to input the PIN for the account withunavailable funds into the mobile phone 405 (e.g., into an input fieldof a mobile banking application executing on the mobile phone 405)instead of inputting the PIN for the account with unavailable funds intothe POS device 401. As another example, in some alternative embodiments,the customer receives the PIN for the account with unavailable funds inthe text message referred to in block 414. In some of these embodiments,the customer does not know the identity of the PIN for the account withunavailable funds before the text message is sent (e.g., the server 403dynamically generates the PIN for the account with unavailable fundsafter determining that the account will exceed available funds).

In some embodiments, one or more of the portions of the process flowrepresented by blocks 402-424 are triggered by one or more triggeringevents, which, in some embodiments, include the performance of one ormore of the other portions of the process flow represented by blocks402-424. Also, in some embodiments, the system 400 is configured toperform the entire process flow represented by blocks 402-424, fromstart to finish, within moments, seconds, and/or minutes. For example,in some embodiments, the customer inputs the PIN for the account withunavailable funds into the POS device 401 within approximately 1-5minutes of the authorization server 403 receiving the authorizationrequest from the POS device 401. Further, it will be understood that oneor more portions of the process flow represented by blocks 402-424 areconfigured to comply with one or more requirements of a regulationspertaining to exceeded available funds or credit (e.g., Regulation Eand/or the CARD Act in the United States).

Referring now to FIG. 5, a mixed block and flow diagram of a system 500for providing a service for credit using a password for the account thatexceeded credit threshold and a mobile phone having an NFC interface isprovided, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention. It will be understood that the system 500 illustrated in FIG.5 represents an example embodiment of the process flow 100 described inconnection with FIG. 1. As shown, the system 500 includes a POS device501 having an NFC interface, a mobile phone 503 having an NFC interface,and an authorization server 505. The POS device 501, the mobile phone503, and the authorization server 505 may each include a communicationinterface, a user interface, a processor, a memory, an application,and/or a datastore, and those components may be operatively connected toeach other.

In accordance with some embodiments, the POS device 501 and the mobilephone 503 are operatively and selectively connected to the authorizationserver 505 via one or more networks (not shown). For example, in someembodiments, the POS device 501 is operatively connected to theauthorization server 505 via a payment network, and/or the mobile phone503 is operatively connected to the authorization server 505 via atelephone network. In addition, the NFC interface of the mobile phone503 and the NFC interface of the POS device 501 enable the mobile phone503 to wirelessly communicate with the POS device 501. For example, insome embodiments, the mobile phone 503 includes an RF transmitter thatis configured to wirelessly communicate account and/or transactioninformation to and/or from an NFC reader associated with the POS device501. As such, in accordance with some embodiments, the mobile phone 503is configured to operate as a mobile wallet.

It will be understood that the POS device 501 and the mobile phone 503are accessible to the customer referred to in block 502. Also, in thisexample embodiment, the POS device 501 is maintained by a merchant, themobile phone 503 is maintained by the customer, and the authorizationserver 505 is maintained by a bank. Further, in accordance with someembodiments, the bank maintains the credit card account held by thecustomer, and the mobile phone is associated with the credit cardaccount.

As represented by block 502, the customer logs in to a mobile bankingapplication that is installed and/or executes on the mobile phone 503.In some embodiments, the mobile banking application authenticates thecustomer before providing the customer access to the mobile bankingapplication. In some embodiments, the mobile banking applicationauthenticates the customer based at least partially on one or morecredentials provided by the customer to the application (e.g., a primarypassword for the credit card account).

After logging in, the customer presents the mobile phone 503 to the POSdevice 501 to engage in the transaction, as represented by block 504.For example, in some embodiments, the customer “taps” the mobile phone503 to the POS device 501 by holding the NFC interface of the mobilephone 503 within a relatively short range of (e.g., within approximatelyfour inches of, or the like.) the NFC interface of the POS device 501.When the mobile phone 503 is presented to the POS device 501, the POSdevice 501 receives credit card account information from the mobilephone 503, as represented by block 506. In some embodiments, the creditcard account information includes the credit card account number, theprimary password for the account, the name of the customer, and/or thelike. Thereafter, the POS device 501 generates and sends anauthorization request associated with the transaction to theauthorization server 505, as represented by block 508. In accordancewith some embodiments, the authorization request includes informationthat, for example, identifies the customer, the credit card accountassociated with the mobile phone, the primary password for the account,the amount of the transaction, the one or more goods and/or servicesinvolved in the transaction, and/or the like. After receiving theauthorization request, as represented by block 510, the authorizationserver 505 determines that the credit card account involved in thetransaction will exceed credit threshold as a result of the transaction.After making the determination that the transaction may exceed credit,the authorization server 505, in this example embodiment, determinesthat the customer is enrolled in a service for credit provided by thebank, as represented by block 512. Thereafter, as represented by block514, the authorization server 505 identifies a mobile phone associatedwith the credit card account (e.g., the mobile phone 503). In someembodiments, the server 505 identifies the mobile phone by identifying aphone number associated with the account, which in some embodiments, isstored in an account profile associated with the account. For example,in some embodiments, the customer provides the financial institutionwith his phone number (e.g., the phone number of the mobile phone 503)when the customer enrolls in the service for credit.

After the authorization server 505 identifies the mobile phone, theauthorization server 505 sends a communication (e.g., text message,automated phone call, mobile banking application-specific notification,actionable alert, email, social media-specific message, or the like.) tothe mobile phone 503, as represented by block 516. In accordance withsome embodiments, the communication notifies the customer of theexceeding credit threshold amount and/or prompts the customer to consentto exceeding credit threshold by inputting the password for the accountthat exceeded credit threshold password for the account into the mobilephone 503. In some embodiments, the communication received by the mobilephone 503 is delivered visually to the customer via a display of themobile phone 503 and/or audibly via a speaker of the mobile phone 503.After perceiving the communication at the mobile phone 503, the customerconsents to exceeding credit threshold by inputting the password for theaccount that exceeded credit threshold into the mobile phone 503, asrepresented by block 518. For example, in some embodiments, the customeruses a keypad to input the password for the account that exceeded creditthreshold (e.g., “3450”) into a mobile banking application-specificinput field displayed on the mobile phone 503. As another example, insome embodiments, the customer sends a return text message to the server505, where the return text message includes the password for the accountthat exceeded credit threshold. In some embodiments, by inputting thepassword for the account that exceeded credit threshold into the mobilephone 503, the customer agrees to the amount exceeding credit threshold,agrees to exceeding the credit threshold of the credit card account,agrees to complete the transaction that may cause the account to exceedcredit threshold, and/or agrees to incurring an exceeded creditthreshold payment for using surpassed credit service and/or forexceeding credit threshold.

After the customer inputs the password for the account that exceededcredit threshold, the authorization server 505 approves theauthorization request, as represented by block 520. As represented byblock 522, the authorization server 505 also generates and sends anelectronic receipt associated with the credit card transaction to themobile banking account. In some embodiments, this electronic receiptserves as a confirmation message to confirm that the customer enteredthe password for the account that exceeded credit threshold into themobile phone 503 and/or to confirm the customer's consent to exceedingcredit threshold and/or to completing the transaction. After theauthorization request has been approved, the transaction is completed atthe POS device 501, as represented by block 524.

Of course, the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 5 is merely exemplary andother embodiments may vary without departing from the scope and spiritof the present invention. For example, in some embodiments, one or moreportions of the process flow being performed by the authorization server505 are performed instead by the mobile phone 503. As another example,in some alternative embodiments of the present invention, instead ofinvolving a credit card account and/or a service for exceeding credit,the system 500 shown in FIG. 5 involves a deposit account, an accountexceeding available funds, and/or a service for unavailable funds.

Also, in some embodiments, one or more of the portions of the processflow represented by blocks 502-524 are triggered by one or moretriggering events, which, in some embodiments, include the performanceof one or more of the other portions of the process flow represented byblocks 502-524. Also, in some embodiments, the system 500 is configuredto perform the entire process flow represented by blocks 502-524, fromstart to finish, within moments, seconds, and/or minutes. For example,in some embodiments, the customer inputs the password for the accountthat exceeded credit threshold (and/or consents exceeding creditthreshold) within approximately 1-5 minutes of the authorization server505 receiving the authorization request from the POS device 501.Further, it will be understood that one or more portions of the processflow represented by blocks 502-524 are configured to comply with one ormore requirements of a regulation pertaining to exceeded available fundsor credit (e.g., Regulation E and/or the CARD Act in the United States,or the like.).

Although many embodiments of the present invention have just beendescribed above, the present invention may be embodied in many differentforms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments setforth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that thisdisclosure will satisfy applicable legal requirements. Also, it will beunderstood that, where possible, any of the advantages, features,functions, devices, and/or operational aspects of any of the embodimentsof the present invention described and/or contemplated herein may beincluded in any of the other embodiments of the present inventiondescribed and/or contemplated herein, and/or vice versa. In addition,where possible, any terms expressed in the singular form herein aremeant to also include the plural form and/or vice versa, unlessexplicitly stated otherwise. Accordingly, the terms “a” and/or “an”shall mean “one or more,” even though the phrase “one or more” is alsoused herein. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout.

As will be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art in view ofthis disclosure, the present invention may include and/or be embodied asan apparatus (including, for example, a system, machine, device,computer program product, and/or the like), as a method (including, forexample, a business method, computer-implemented process, and/or thelike), or as any combination of the foregoing. Accordingly, embodimentsof the present invention may take the form of an entirely businessmethod embodiment, an entirely software embodiment (including firmware,resident software, micro-code, or the like.), an entirely hardwareembodiment, or an embodiment combining business method, software, andhardware aspects that may generally be referred to herein as a “system.”Furthermore, embodiments of the present invention may take the form of acomputer program product that includes a computer-readable storagemedium having one or more computer-executable program code portionsstored therein. As used herein, a processor, which may include one ormore processors, may be “configured to” perform a certain function in avariety of ways, including, for example, by having one or moregeneral-purpose circuits perform the function by executing one or morecomputer-executable program code portions embodied in acomputer-readable medium, and/or by having one or moreapplication-specific circuits perform the function.

It will be understood that any suitable computer-readable medium may beutilized. The computer-readable medium may include, but is not limitedto, a non-transitory computer-readable medium, such as a tangibleelectronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, and/orsemiconductor system, device, and/or other apparatus. For example, insome embodiments, the non-transitory computer-readable medium includes atangible medium such as a portable computer diskette, a hard disk, arandom access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasableprogrammable read-only memory (EPROM or Flash memory), a compact discread-only memory (CD-ROM), and/or some other tangible optical and/ormagnetic storage device. In other embodiments of the present invention,however, the computer-readable medium may be transitory, such as, forexample, a propagation signal including computer-executable program codeportions embodied therein.

One or more computer-executable program code portions for carrying outoperations of the present invention may include object-oriented,scripted, and/or unscripted programming languages, such as, for example,Java, Perl, Smalltalk, C++, SAS, SQL, Python, Objective C, and/or thelike. In some embodiments, the one or more computer-executable programcode portions for carrying out operations of embodiments of the presentinvention are written in conventional procedural programming languages,such as the “C” programming languages and/or similar programminglanguages. The computer program code may alternatively or additionallybe written in one or more multi-paradigm programming languages, such as,for example, F#.

Some embodiments of the present invention are described herein withreference to flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams ofapparatuses and/or methods. It will be understood that each blockincluded in the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, and/orcombinations of blocks included in the flowchart illustrations and/orblock diagrams, may be implemented by one or more computer-executableprogram code portions. These one or more computer-executable programcode portions may be provided to a processor of a general purposecomputer, special purpose computer, and/or some other programmable dataprocessing apparatus in order to produce a particular machine, such thatthe one or more computer-executable program code portions, which executevia the processor of the computer and/or other programmable dataprocessing apparatus, create mechanisms for implementing the stepsand/or functions represented by the flowchart(s) and/or block diagramblock(s).

The one or more computer-executable program code portions may be storedin a transitory and/or non-transitory computer-readable medium (e.g., amemory, or the like.) that can direct, instruct, and/or cause a computerand/or other programmable data processing apparatus to function in aparticular manner, such that the computer-executable program codeportions stored in the computer-readable medium produce an article ofmanufacture including instruction mechanisms which implement the stepsand/or functions specified in the flowchart(s) and/or block diagramblock(s)

The one or more computer-executable program code portions may also beloaded onto a computer and/or other programmable data processingapparatus to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on thecomputer and/or other programmable apparatus. In some embodiments, thisproduces a computer-implemented process such that the one or morecomputer-executable program code portions which execute on the computerand/or other programmable apparatus provide operational steps toimplement the steps specified in the flowchart(s) and/or the functionsspecified in the block diagram block(s). Alternatively,computer-implemented steps may be combined with, and/or replaced with,operator- and/or human-implemented steps in order to carry out anembodiment of the present invention.

While certain exemplary embodiments have been described and shown in theaccompanying drawings, it is to be understood that such embodiments aremerely illustrative of and not restrictive on the broad invention, andthat this invention not be limited to the specific constructions andarrangements shown and described, since various other changes,combinations, omissions, modifications and substitutions, in addition tothose set forth in the above paragraphs, are possible. Those skilled inthe art will appreciate that various adaptations, modifications, andcombinations of the just described embodiments can be configured withoutdeparting from the scope and spirit of the invention. Therefore, it isto be understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, theinvention may be practiced other than as specifically described herein.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method comprising: receiving transactioninformation associated with a transaction, wherein the transactioninvolves an account; determining, based at least partially on thetransaction information, that the account will exceed available funds orcredit as a result of the transaction; receiving a passcode for theaccount with unavailable funds or credit associated with the account;and authorizing the transaction based at least partially on thereceiving the passcode for the account with unavailable funds or credit.2. The method of claim 1, wherein the transaction information comprisesthe passcode for the account with unavailable funds or credit, such thatthe receiving the transaction information comprises the receiving thepasscode for the account with unavailable funds or credit.
 3. The methodof claim 1, wherein the transaction information comprises a primarypasscode for the account, and wherein the receiving the passcode for theaccount with unavailable funds or credit occurs after the receiving thetransaction information.
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein thetransaction involves a holder of the account, the method furthercomprising: prompting the holder to provide the passcode for the accountwith unavailable funds or credit, wherein the prompting the holderoccurs after the determining that the account will exceed availablefunds or credit, and wherein the receiving the passcode for the accountwith unavailable funds or credit occurs after the prompting the holder.5. The method of claim 4, wherein the prompting the holder occurs withinabout twenty seconds of the determining that the account will exceedavailable funds or credit.
 6. The method of claim 4, wherein theprompting the holder comprises sending a message to a mobile deviceaccessible to the holder, wherein the message prompts the holder toprovide the passcode for the account with unavailable funds or credit.7. The method of claim 4, wherein the transaction involves a transactionmachine, and wherein the prompting the holder comprises sending amessage to the transaction machine, wherein the message prompts theholder to provide the passcode for the account with unavailable funds orcredit.
 8. The method of claim 4, wherein the prompting the holdercomprises sending the amount that exceeds available funds or credit tothe holder.
 9. The method of claim 4, wherein the prompting the holdercomprises sending the passcode for the account with unavailable funds orcredit to the holder.
 10. The method of claim 9, wherein the passcodefor the account with unavailable funds or credit is not known to theholder before the sending the passcode for the account with unavailablefunds or credit to the holder.
 11. The method of claim 4, wherein thepasscode for the account with unavailable funds or credit is known tothe holder before the prompting the holder.
 12. The method of claim 1,wherein the transaction involves a holder of the account, the methodfurther comprising: declining the transaction based at least partiallyon the determining that the account will exceed available funds orcredit, and wherein the receiving the passcode for the account withunavailable funds or credit comprises receiving the passcode for theaccount with unavailable funds or credit from the holder after thedeclining the transaction.
 13. The method of claim 1, wherein thetransaction involves a holder of the account and a transaction machine,and wherein the receiving the passcode for the account with unavailablefunds or credit is based at least partially on the holder inputting thepasscode for the account with unavailable funds or credit into thetransaction machine.
 14. The method of claim 1, wherein the transactioninvolves a holder of the account, and wherein the receiving the passcodefor the account with unavailable funds or credit is based at leastpartially on the holder inputting the passcode for the account withunavailable funds or credit into a mobile device accessible to theholder.
 15. The method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving secondtransaction information associated with a second transaction, whereinthe second transaction involves a second account, and wherein the secondaccount is associated with a primary passcode; determining, based atleast partially on the second transaction information, that the secondaccount will exceed available funds or credit as a result of the secondtransaction; receiving the primary passcode; and declining the secondtransaction based at least partially on the receiving the primarypasscode.
 16. The method of claim 1, wherein the transaction involves aholder of the account, and wherein the passcode for the account withunavailable funds or credit was selected by the holder before thetransaction is initiated.
 17. The method of claim 1, wherein thetransaction involves a holder of the account, and wherein the receivingthe passcode for the account with unavailable funds or credit serves toindicate that the holder consents to the amount that exceeds theavailable funds or credit.
 18. The method of claim 1, furthercomprising: storing the passcode for the account with unavailable fundsor credit in an account profile associated with the account, wherein theaccount profile is stored in a computer-readable medium; and afterreceiving the passcode for the account with unavailable funds or credit,determining that the passcode for the account with unavailable funds orcredit received matches the passcode for the account with unavailablefunds or credit stored in the account profile, and wherein theauthorizing the transaction is based at least partially on thedetermining that the passcode for the account with unavailable funds orcredit received matches the passcode for the account with unavailablefunds or credit stored in the account profile.
 19. The method of claim1, wherein the passcode is a four digit personal identification number(PIN).
 20. An apparatus comprising: a communication interface configuredto: receive, via a payment network, transaction information associatedwith a transaction, wherein the transaction involves an account; andreceive a passcode for the account with unavailable funds or creditassociated with the account; a processor operatively connected to thecommunication interface and configured to: determine, based at leastpartially on the transaction information, that the account will exceedavailable funds or credit as a result of the transaction; and authorizethe transaction based at least partially on the communication interfacereceiving the passcode for the account with unavailable funds or credit.21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the communication interface isconfigured to receive the passcode for the account with unavailablefunds or credit via a telephone network.
 22. The apparatus of claim 20,wherein the transaction information comprises the passcode for theaccount with unavailable funds or credit, such that the communicationinterface receives the passcode for the account with unavailable fundsor credit by receiving the transaction information.
 23. The apparatus ofclaim 20, wherein the transaction information comprises a primarypasscode associated with the account, and wherein the communicationinterface receives the passcode for the account with unavailable fundsor credit after receiving the transaction information.
 24. The apparatusof claim 20, wherein the processor is further configured to: instructthe communication interface to prompt the holder to provide the passcodefor the account with unavailable funds or credit, wherein the processorinstructs the communication interface to prompt the holder after theprocessor determines that the account exceed available funds or credit,and wherein the communication interface receives the passcode for theaccount with unavailable funds or credit after the processor instructsthe communication interface to prompt the holder.
 25. The apparatus ofclaim 24, wherein the processor instructs the communication interface toprompt the holder by instructing the communication interface to send amessage to a mobile device accessible to the holder, wherein the messageprompts the holder to provide the passcode for the account withunavailable funds or credit.
 26. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein thetransaction involves a transaction machine, and wherein the processorinstructs the communication interface to prompt the holder byinstructing the communication interface to send a message to thetransaction machine, wherein the message prompts the holder to providethe passcode for the account with unavailable funds or credit.
 27. Theapparatus of claim 24, wherein the processor instructs the communicationinterface to prompt the holder by instructing the communicationinterface to send the passcode for the account with unavailable funds orcredit to the holder.
 28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein thepasscode for the account with unavailable funds or credit is not knownto the holder before the passcode for the account with unavailable fundsor credit is sent to the holder.
 29. The apparatus of claim 20, whereinthe transaction involves a holder of the account, and wherein theprocessor is further configured to: decline the transaction based atleast partially on the processor determining that the account willexceed available funds or credit, and wherein the communicationinterface receives the passcode for the account with unavailable fundsor credit from the holder after the transaction is declined.
 30. Theapparatus of claim 20, wherein the transaction involves a holder of theaccount and a transaction machine, and wherein the communicationinterface receives the passcode for the account with unavailable fundsor credit based at least partially on the holder inputting the passcodefor the account with unavailable funds or credit into the transactionmachine.
 31. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the transaction involvesa holder of the account, and wherein the communication interfacereceives the passcode for the account with unavailable funds or creditbased at least partially on the holder inputting the passcode for theaccount with unavailable funds or credit into a mobile device accessibleto the holder.
 32. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the communicationinterface is further configured to: receive second transactioninformation associated with a second transaction, wherein the secondtransaction involves a second account, and wherein the secondtransaction information comprises a primary passcode that is associatedwith the second account, and wherein the processor is further configuredto: determine, based at least partially on the second transactioninformation, that the second account will exceed available funds orcredit as a result of the second transaction; and decline the secondtransaction based at least partially on the communication interfacereceiving the primary passcode.
 33. The apparatus of claim 20, furthercomprising: a memory device operatively connected to the processor andconfigured to store the passcode for the account with unavailable fundsor credit, wherein the processor is further configured to determine,after the communication interface receives the passcode for the accountwith unavailable funds or credit, that the passcode for the account withunavailable funds or credit received matches the passcode for theaccount with unavailable funds or credit stored in the memory device,and wherein the processor authorizes the transaction based at leastpartially on the processor determining that the passcode for the accountwith unavailable funds or credit received matches the passcode for theaccount with unavailable funds or credit stored in the memory device.34. A computer program product comprising a non-transitorycomputer-readable medium, wherein the non-transitory computer-readablemedium comprises one or more computer-executable program code portionsthat, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to: receivetransaction information associated with a transaction, wherein thetransaction involves an account; determine that the account will exceedavailable funds or credit as a result of the transaction; receive apasscode for the account with unavailable funds or credit associatedwith the account after the computer determines that account will exceedavailable funds or credit; and authorize the transaction based at leastpartially on the computer receiving the passcode for the account withunavailable funds or credit.
 35. The computer program product of claim34, wherein the transaction involves a transaction machine, and whereinthe one or more computer-executable program code portions, when executedby the computer, cause the computer to: send a message to thetransaction machine, wherein the message prompts the holder to input thepasscode for the account with unavailable funds or credit into thetransaction machine, wherein the computer sends the message after thecomputer determines that the account will exceed available funds orcredit, and wherein the computer receives the passcode for the accountwith unavailable funds or credit after the computer sends the message,and wherein the computer receives the passcode for the account withunavailable funds or credit based at least partially on the holderinputting the passcode for the account with unavailable funds or creditinto the transaction machine.
 36. The computer program product of claim34, wherein the transaction involves a transaction machine and a holderof the account, wherein the holder carries a mobile device during thetransaction, and wherein the one or more computer-executable programcode portions, when executed by the computer, cause the computer to:send a message to the mobile device, wherein the message prompts theholder to input the passcode for the account with unavailable funds orcredit into the mobile device or into the transaction machine, andwherein the computer sends the message after the computer determinesthat the account will exceed available funds or credit, and wherein thecomputer receives the passcode for the account with unavailable funds orcredit after the computer sends the message, and wherein the computerreceives the passcode for the account with unavailable funds or creditbased at least partially on the holder inputting the passcode for theaccount with unavailable funds or credit into the mobile device or thetransaction machine.
 37. The computer program product of claim 34,wherein the transaction involves a transaction machine, and wherein theone or more computer-executable program code portions, when executed bythe computer, cause the computer to: send the passcode for the accountwith unavailable funds or credit to the holder before the computerreceives the passcode for the account with unavailable funds or credit,wherein the passcode for the account with unavailable funds or credit isnot known to the holder before the passcode for the account withunavailable funds or credit is sent to the holder.
 38. The computerprogram product of claim 34, wherein the one or more computer-executableprogram code portions, when executed by the computer, cause the computerto: decline the transaction based at least partially on the computerdetermining that the account will exceed available funds or credit, andwherein the computer receives the passcode for the account withunavailable funds or credit after the transaction is declined.
 39. Thecomputer program product of claim 34, wherein the transaction involves aholder of the account, and wherein the passcode for the account withunavailable funds or credit was selected by the holder before thetransaction is initiated.
 40. A method comprising: receiving anauthorization request associated with a transaction, wherein thetransaction involves an account, and wherein the account is associatedwith a primary passcode; determining that the account has exceededavailable funds or credit to cover the transaction; determining that theauthorization request comprises the primary passcode; declining theauthorization request based at least partially on the determining thatthe authorization request comprises the primary passcode and thedetermining that the account has exceeded available funds or credit;receiving a second authorization request associated with a secondtransaction, wherein the second transaction involves the account;determining that the second authorization request comprises a passcodefor the account with unavailable funds or credit associated with theaccount; and approving the second authorization request based at leastpartially on the determining that the second authorization requestcomprises the passcode for the account with unavailable funds or credit.41. The method of claim 40, wherein the transaction and the secondtransaction are the same transaction.
 42. The method of claim 40,wherein the receiving the second authorization request comprisesreceiving the second authorization request within about five minutes ofthe declining the authorization request.
 43. The method of claim 40,wherein the transaction involves a holder of the account, the methodfurther comprising: prompting the holder to provide the passcode for theaccount with unavailable funds or credit, wherein the prompting theholder occurs after the determining that the account has exceededavailable funds, and wherein the receiving the second authorizationrequest comprises receiving the passcode for the account withunavailable funds or credit from the holder after the prompting theholder to provide the passcode for the account with unavailable funds orcredit.
 44. A method comprising: presenting, by a holder of an account,account information at a transaction machine to engage in a transaction,wherein the account information is associated with the account;receiving, by the holder, a message that prompts the holder to provide apasscode for the account with unavailable funds or credit associatedwith the account, wherein the receiving occurs while the holder is stillat the transaction machine; and inputting, by the holder, the passcodefor the account with unavailable funds or credit into the transactionmachine or into a mobile device accessible to a holder, wherein theinputting occurs while the holder is still at the transaction machine,and wherein the transaction is approved after the holder inputs thepasscode for the account with unavailable funds or credit.
 45. Themethod of claim 44, wherein the message further prompts the holder tore-present the account information at the transaction machine tocomplete the transaction, the method further comprising: re-presenting,by the holder, the account information at the transaction machine. 46.The method of claim 44, wherein the message notifies the holder that thetransaction has been declined.
 47. The method of claim 44, furthercomprising: receiving, by the holder, a confirmation message thatconfirms that the holder input the passcode for the account withunavailable funds or credit into the transaction machine or into themobile device.
 48. The method of claim 44, further comprising:receiving, by the holder, disclosure information before the presentingthe account information at the transaction machine, wherein thedisclosure information defines one or more terms of a service foraccount with unavailable funds or credit associated with the passcodefor the account with unavailable funds or credit or credit, and whereinthe inputting the passcode for the account with unavailable funds orcredit or credit comprises agreeing, by the holder, to the one or moreterms of the service for account with unavailable funds or creditdefined in the disclosure information.